The Puppet mistress
by Winter-ShinyDragon
Summary: On Halloween night Ian and Anthony are going to investigate a strange phenomenon in the woods. But their investigation leads them to another world. A world led by something evil.
1. Preparations

Author note: This is my first smosh fanfic. Enjoy this story :)

Chapter 1: Preparations

* * *

The full moon was high in the sky and shone over Sacramento. It was Halloween night and most houses were decorated with pumpkins. Some people had their homes decorated with orange lights and had fake tombstones in their front gardens.

A lot of kids dressed up and walked across the streets. They were dressed as mummies, vampires or their favorite super hero or Disney princess.

A small group of children knocked on a door of a house that wasn't decorated. They doubted if anyone was home. But when the door opened, they all screamed: "Trick or treat!" And they held their paper bags.

The man took a red plastic bowl that was filled with chocolate bars. "Take whole bowl."

"Really?" asked a small boy in a vampire custom.

"Are you sure?" asked another boy, he had a white sheet over him and had two holes cut out for his eyes. "We can take it?"

"Sure." The man said and gives the bowl to the boy.

"Thank you very much sir!" said the girl that was wearing a Snow White dress.

"This is the best Halloween, ever!" said another girl, she was wearing a Tinker bell dress. "Come on, let's go! Maybe there are even more generous adults!"

The children ran away. "Thanks again, sir!'

"Yeah, right." and Ian Hecox closed the door.

On a small table in the hallway he saw the newspaper form today. On the front page was an article about 6 teenagers who went missing last year on Halloween night. According to the article they had not returned from a party. The police were still looking for them, but there was little hope.

Their photographs were underneath, hoping someone had seen them. But Ian had the feeling that they never returned. Not alive at least. But the article made him nervous.

He was walking towards the living room were his friend Anthony Padilla was sitting on the couch. He was putting new batteries in his camera.

"I miss that time we still walk the streets for candy." Ian said. "Why can't we do that?"

"Because we are too old for that." said Anthony and looked at his camera. "What will people think?"

Ian shrugged.

"And by the way, we'll go do something else." Anthony said with a smile. He did his camera on. "Hello everyone and welcome by Smosh on Halloween special. Tonight, Ian and I are going to investigate something in the forest….'

He pointed the camera towards Ian. "We received a request from someone on twitter, to investigate a strange phenomenon. He said that something will happen in the forest with full moon on midnight. It only appears on Halloween."

"He did not tell us what is going to happen, we had to figure out that for ourselves." Anthony said and pointed the camera back to him. "I'm pretty curious about this and we will film the whole scene. Did you have the extra camera?'

'I have.'

"Good, I guess we have everything then and we are ready to go!" Anthony said and turned off his camera. He stood up. "You didn't sound very exciting about this trip, is something bothering you?"

"No, it's nothing." Ian said with a faint smile. "Do you have the flashlights?"

He didn't want to tell Anthony that he was nervous because of that article in the newspaper. It's probably nothing to worry about. On the other hand, he was also curious about that phenomenon.

"Ehm…yeah, I put them in your car."

"Then let's go then!" Ian said with a smile. "Before the sun begins to rise."

"Yeah, you're right." said Anthony with a laugh. After the men put on their thick vests, they walked over to Ian's car.


	2. The dark woods

Chapter 2: The dark woods

* * *

"So, we are on our way." Anthony said in the camera. "I don't know if you guys can see me, it's very dark."

Anthony saw a few children in Halloween customs walking on the street.

He pointed the camera to Ian who was driving. "Can you remember you're candy hunt during Halloween? And what was your costume?"

"I only remember that I was wearing a knight's costume, with an over sized helmet." Ian said.

Anthony laughed. "Really? Why were you wearing an over sized helmet?"

"I don't know.' Ian said with a laugh. "I was focused on the candy, although I saw little."

"What about your sister?"

"She was wearing a pink princess dress, I think."

"So you two were a perfect pair." Anthony said and pointed the camera back to him. "A knight and his princess. How lovely."

"Do you remember when you bag was full of candy, and that you're not allowed to eat it all at the same evening?" Ian asked.

"Oh, yeah." Anthony said. "I remember that I had a lot of chocolate bars with me and that I had eaten them all in one night. I was so sick."

"I had then eaten too much of that sour candy. I had vomiting four times that night." Ian said. "Plus, I got a ticket to the dentist."

"Was it so bad then?" Anthony asked and pointed the camera back to Ian.

"Unfortunately, yes." Ian said. "My mom was not very happy that day."

"As you can see kids, candy is bad for you. Oh, look we are almost there." Anthony said with a smile and he pointed the camera on the road. They arrived at the edge of the forest and Ian stopped his car.

"You sure we're good?" Ian asked.

"Yeah." Anthony said and stepped out of the car. "Don't forget the flashlights."

Ian took the flashlights and stepped out of the car. It was dark and the wind swept gently through the trees. But it was quiet, dead quiet. You did not hear crickets or other cars. They knew they were all alone.

Ian grabbed his flashlight and turned it on. "So, we are here, nearby the scary woods."

Anthony turned the camera to Ian. "I put the camera on night vision, for the scary effect."

"Is that really necessary?" Ian asked. But Anthony ignored his question and walked over to the woods. Ian silently followed them.

The two men walked further into the woods. The crackle of their shoes was the only sound they heard. Ian was nervous about the silence, he wished Anthony was more to talking to the camera.

He had a feeling that they were walking for hours. Ian was looking around with his flash light. It was hard to tell if Anthony was nervous. He had never showed it, or maybe he tried to hide it.

"How far is it?" Ian asked. "Anthony?"

He looked up and his friend was gone. Ian stopped walking. He felt his heart beating in his chest and his fear began to rise. "Anthony?"

He doesn't like to alone in the woods, especially at night. Images of Slender man came to him. He fervently wished that he had never played that stupid game or any other horror game. A cold wind passed him and Ian began to tremble.

"Where are you?" He began to walk slowly. "Anthony!"

Ian walked past a large oak tree. Suddenly he heard a crackling noise and turned around.

"Anthony?"

Again a crackling sound and Ian turned again. Suddenly there was a black shadow with his arms wide open. Ian screamed and recoiled backwards. He tripped over an outstretched tree root and fell backwards. Ian tried to get up until he heard a familiar laugh.

He pointed his flashlight at the shadow and saw his friend laughed at him. "What the hell, man!" Ian shouted angrily at him. "That was not funny!"

"Sorry Ian, I could not resist it." Anthony said and was laughing harder. "You should have seen your face."

"I thought you were….." Ian said and saw the camera in Anthony's hand. "I hope for you that you cut that out."

"Maybe….I will think about it..."

"Damn you."

Anthony helped Ian upright. "Come on, don't be such a pussy." he said. "It's not my fault you are scared of the woods, because of Slender man. You know he is not real."

"Just shut up about that." Ian said and his friend began to laugh again. "How far is it?"

"According to that request it is somewhere on an open place in the woods." Anthony said and the two men started walking again. "He said there are seven trees standing in a perfect circle."

"That's strange." Ian said.

"That open place is not very far." Anthony said and heard a strange noise. "What?"

He looked at his camera, the camera started to flicker. "My camera does weird."

'Anthony, stop with those jokes." Ian said annoyed. "It's not funny."

"No, I'm serious." Anthony said and stopped walking. "I've just put new batteries in it."

"Hey…Look."

Anthony looked up and they saw the open place. Because of the moonlight they saw the seven trees in the distance. Anthony walked over to Ian. "Well, there it is."

Ian took a deep breath. "Let's go."


	3. At full moon

Chapter 3: At full moon

* * *

The two men walked across the lawn towards the circle of trees. Anthony gave a few slaps on the camera. "Nice, my camera is working again."

He said and he pointed the camera at Ian.

"Well, we are almost there. How are you feeling Ian?"

"I'm nervous." Ian said. "I'm mean, look at those trees. Why are they in a perfect circle?"

Anthony pointed the camera at the trees. "It is strange."

They came closer and Anthony's camera began to flicker again. "What the hell is wrong with this thing?" He said and stopped walking.

Ian went on and stopped in the center of the circle, he felt an icy wind. It did not feel good to be here, what if something goes wrong? Ian shook his head, he tried not to think about it. He was hoping that nothing will happen, so they could go back to the car.

Ian looked up, the branches of the trees look like claws of monsters. But he also saw that the moon almost shone over the circle.

"Come on, work." He heard Anthony. "Dammit, stupid thing."

"Anthony, you must see this." Ian said.

"One moment." Anthony said and slaps his camera. It worked again. "Alright, we are now in the center of this….weird circle. It is very strange that these trees are in a perfect circle, as if they are put down by people."

He pointed the camera at the trees and turned so he got all the trees. "I wonder what will happen now. Hopefully it's not boring, what do you think? "

Anthony turned his camera on Ian, who still looked up. "Dude, what are you looking at?"

He stood next to him. "Ian?"

But Ian continues to look up, so Anthony lowered his camera and followed Ian's gaze. The full moon slowly slipped over the trees, the men were hypnotized by the light.

After a few minutes the moon was right above the circle. Suddenly, the two men saw that the trees were illuminated. But when the moon went out of the circle, the light disappeared.

"What was that?" Ian asked and looked at Anthony.

"I have no idea." He said and pointed his flashlight at the trees. "Look!" Ian followed his gaze and was shocked.

There stood strange symbols on the trees. On one tree there was a symbol of a green clover and next was a symbol of a heart. Ian turned and pointed his flashlight at the other trees. There was a symbol of a firecracker, a turkey, an Easter egg and a Christmas tree.

Anthony also turned and pointed his flashlight to the trees. Ian tried to run away, but his friend grabbed him by his arm.

"What hell is this?" Anthony said. He let Ian go and grabbed his camera to film everything.

"This is really weird, man." Ian said. "I don't think we should…"

Anthony walked towards the tree with the Christmas symbol. He noticed something strange. "Ian, come look at this. It has a doorknob."

"A what?' said Ian and walked over to him.

"That thing has a doorknob." Anthony said. "Hold this." He gave Ian his camera and tried to open the door. It was locked.

"Those things are doors." Ian said and gave Anthony the camera back.

"Yeah, but for what?" He said and looked further around. Ian followed him. They tried the other doors, but they were all closed.

"They are all closed." Anthony said. "Is this the strange phenomenon? Closed doors?"

"What about that one?" Ian asked and shone his flashlight to another tree. It had the symbol of a jack-o'-lantern. "We have missed that one."

Ian walked to the tree and touches the doorknob. He got a shiver through his body and he opened the door. "This one is open."

Anthony walked to him. "What do you see?"

Ian looked, but he only saw darkness. "I don't see anything, it is completely dark."

Anthony wanted to step inside, but Ian stopped him. "Is this a good idea?" He asked.

"Come on man, what can go wrong?" Anthony said.

"Eh ... Everything?"

"Geez, where's your sense of adventure?" Anthony said and stepped inside. But suddenly he felt nothing. There was no solid ground. Anthony fell down and screamed.

"Anthony!" Ian cried and went after him and the door closed behind him.

* * *

Author's note:

I'm sorry that the chapters are short, I will try to make the next chapter longer :)


	4. Follow the road

Chapter 4: Follow the road.

* * *

Anthony woke up slowly. He felt the cold earth against his face. He slowly sat up, it was dark and he saw the full moon shone over the bare trees. Where was he? Was he still in Sacramento?

It was freezing and Anthony took his coat up further. Anthony stood up and felt a stabbing pain in his ankle. He must have sprained it, when he fell to the ground.

When he wanted to look at his ankle, he saw his camera lying.

Anthony picked it up and saw that the lens was broken. He turned it around and saw that the back was all dented and the batteries were out.

Anthony swore under his breath. Not only the batteries were new, but the camera was also brand new. He got it from Kalel, because his old camera had got into the washing machine.

They have laughed about it, because the camera smelled of lavender, the fabric softener that Kalel often used. But she will not be happy about this, because he had promised her that he would be more careful with his stuff.

Anthony saw his flashlight down, he picked it up. "Please work." He whispered.

He turned his flashlight on and luckily it works. Anthony turned his flashlight forward and turned around.

"Ian?" He asked. "Ian, where are you?"

But Ian was nowhere to be seen. He was alone in a forest, but he could swear he heard Ian when he was falling down. He was right behind him.

"Ian!" Anthony cried.

He felt the panic rising. What if he's hurt? He began to walk and decided to look for him.

Suddenly he saw orange orbs in the distance. Anthony put it on running and he was feeling his sore ankle.

But he kept running until he came to a paved road. The road had large pebbles and Anthony saw that it was lit by streetlamps. He looked up and saw that the light came from pumpkins. There were faces carved into it, they look like Halloween decorations.

"What the hell?" Anthony said and turned off his flashlight. He saw that the road continued and decided to continue walking. Hopefully he finds Ian.

* * *

Ian woke up. He felt the cold and wet ground against his back. He felt a stabbing pain in his shoulder and arm. But luckily it was not broken, because he could still move it.

Ian came over to his feet and looked around. He looked for his flashlight. Thanks to the full moon he could see it on the ground. But the lamp was broken.

"Dammit." Ian muttered. He looked around and saw that Anthony was nowhere to be seen.

"Anthony!" Ian cried. "If this is another joke ..."

But he heard nothing. It was dead quiet. Suddenly Ian remembered something. He remembered the door with a pumpkin as figure and that Anthony went inside and fell down. And Ian jumped after him. He no longer believed that they were still in Sacramento. But where were they?

"Anthony!" Ian cried. Because of his voice, a group of crows flew away.

He was startled and looked for his camera, until he remembers something. His camera lies in his car, he had forgotten to take it with him. Ian sighed and started to walk. As he walked further he heard voices. They whisper to him.

_Follow us….Follow us…._

Ian felt his whole body begins to tremble and he saw his own breath. He tried to ignore the voices. But there were close, as if they were marching with him.

_Don't be afraid of us…..come with us…we are your friends…._

"Shut up." Ian said.

_Please don't be mean….we tried to help you…..You look so cute….come with us…._

Ian began to run, hoping that he could shake of the voices. But suddenly he tripped over an outstretched tree root. He ended up with his face to the ground.

Ian lifted his face. "Come on…not again."

_You can't run from us….._

Ian turned his body around and saw a grey lady in front of in. She was wearing a long white dress with long sleeves. It looks like a wedding dress. Her hair was short up to her neck. Her yellow looked at him en she gave him a beautiful smile.

Ian gasped for air, the woman was a ghost. "What the hell."

_Don't be afraid…..We are here for you…._

Her mouth was not moving and what does she means by we? Ian felt a cold hand on his shoulder. He turned his head and saw another female spirit stand. He had long black hair and also had yellow eyes.

Ian's heart began to pound in his chest. Another spirit grabbed his sore shoulder. Ian looked the other spirit, it was a man. He had a big smile on his face.

_We are here for you….._

"No…leave me alone." Ian said with an anxious voice.

Ian tried to disengage from the two spirits who were holding his shoulders, but the sprites were to strong.

_Don't struggle…You are safe….come with us…._

Ian looked at the woman in front of him. Behind her there were more ghost, men, women and even children. They were surrounding him. The woman walked up to him and knelt before him. She grabbed Ian at his throat.

"Somebody…." Ian said. "Somebody…Please help me!"

The spirit squeezed his throat, it forced his mouth open. Ian tried to gasp for air.

The woman opened her mouth. And Ian saw that white smoke was coming out of his mouth. The smoke was going into the mouth of the woman.

Ian could not breathe and felt weak.

_Don't worry…..You will soon be in a better place…_

Ian started to see blurry and thought it was all over. Suddenly he heard a gunshot fire and the spirits disappeared.

Ian fell on his back and began to cough. He slowly stood up and shook with fear and he turned around. The spirit of the woman was standing before him. Ian was shocked and backed away.

The woman held out her arms and came towards him. There was another gunfire shot and the spirit was blown away. Ian stood there and dare not move, afraid he was shot down.

He heard rustling in the bushes and turned around. He saw a black shadow running through the bushes. Ian could not see who or what it was.

"Ian!"

Ian turned and he saw Anthony running towards him. "Are you alright?" He asked. Anthony saw the fear in Ian's eyes. "What's going on?"

"I don't know…" Ian said. "Something happened, I saw ghosts and….Where the hell are we?"

"I don't know." Anthony said. "We are not in Sacramento anymore."

"This would not have happened if you went through that door." Ian said.

"I did not know this was going to happen." Anthony said. "We must find a way back home."

"How are we going to do that?" Ian asked.

_Where are you?...come with us…..Please…._

The whisperers were back and Ian looked around.

"What's wrong Ian?"

_Come with us…..we are your friends…._

"Don't you hear them?" Ian asked. "There are everywhere."

Anthony looked around. "Ian, you're scaring me. What are you talking about?"

_We are coming for you…don't be afraid….._

"We have to go." Ian said. "Come on!"

The two men started to run. "There is a road." Anthony said. "Follow me!"

They kept running until she saw the light of the road. When they were on the road, Ian didn't hear the whispers anymore.

"Oh thank god, I can't hear them anymore." Ian said with relief. "How did you find me?"

"I heard the gunshots." Anthony said. "But you were talking about ghosts?"

Ian told his friend about the whispers, the ghosts and what they did to him. He was still worried that they were chasing him. Anthony was a little spooked by Ian's story. He could tell Ian that he was still afraid.

"But I don't understand….Why did I not hear them?" Anthony asked.

Ian shrugged. He was glad they were not here, maybe they were afraid of light. "What are going to do?"

Anthony looked around and saw a road sign. He walked over and saw on the right sign

_Halloween Town - __3 km_

Anthony looked to the left sign.

_\- 10 km __ You better not go there, unless you have a death wish_

Anthony looked at Ian. "We are going right, if we stay the road hopefully we remain safe for those spirits."

Ian nodded.

"Come on." Anthony said. "Maybe someone in that Halloween town can help us."

And they walked towards Halloween Town. Anthony noticed that Ian was silent the whole way. He was not used to that and he tried to talk to him.

"My camera broke," Anthony said. "when I fell to the ground."

Ian looked up. "So you can't film this?"

"No." Anthony said. "What about your camera?"

"It lies in my car." Ian said. "I forgot to get it out, I'm sorry."

Anthony nodded. "It's okay, we must find a way to get out of here. It's my fault that we are here, so I will solve the problem."

Suddenly they hurt music and voices. "What's that?" Ian asked and they were running, until the road ended and they stood on a hill. Downstairs they saw a big town. It was lit up and heard loud music.

"Looks like there is a party down there." Ian said. "A big party."

"Yeah." Anthony said. "Shall we go down there?"

Ian nodded. "Let's go."

The two men went down towards the town. But a black shadow with a homemade pistol followed him as quietly that they did not hear him.


	5. Panic in Halloween Town

Chapter 5: Panic in Halloween Town

* * *

On the side of the road, stood a scarecrow with a pumpkin head. He was a fixed to a pole with a sign towards the town. Anthony read: Halloween Town.

"That's a weird road sign." Ian said.

"I think it's funny." Anthony said as they walked further. The music grew louder as they approached.

"Get out of the way!" someone cried. Anthony and Ian turned around.

A black carriage with a snow-white horse came riding down them. Anthony pushed Ian aside and was himself ducked just in time. The two men turned their heads.

They saw the belly of the horse and saw the viscera and bones. On the carriage sat a man with a long black robe. He looked at the boys. It was a skull with red eyes.

"Watch where you're going, you idiots!" the man cried as he ride into town.

Ian looked at Anthony. "Were that bowels of that horse?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Anthony said and they stood up.

"What is wrong with this world?" Ian asked. "It feels like we're in a horror game."

They saw two young women walked towards the town. One of them had a white Victorian dress and her blond hair came down until her waist. The other women wore a light blue Victorian dress and she had her black hair in a thick braid.

The two girls looked at the two men. Their faces were beautiful and their lips were blood red. But when they smiled their vampire teeth became visible and their orange eyes became to glow. Ian and Anthony looked startled. When the women were gone over, they started giggling.

"That was weird." Anthony said and they saw few more creatures walking towards the town.

They saw a two dark brown werewolves, one of them was wearing a flowery apron and glasses.

"Alright, darling." The werewolf said with a female voice. "Don't drink too much, you have to be a good example for your grandchildren."

The wolf next to her was also wearing glasses but was wearing nothing.

"Yeah, Yeah. Don't worry." He said. "Why are my son and my daughter in law not here? Those are their children."

Behind him a small group of six little wolves were running towards the town. One of the little wolfs came over to Ian and Anthony. The little wolf had a small red ribbon on her head and was looking at the men with her big blue eyes.

"Grandma, those guys are weird…" said the little wolf with a girl's voice.

"Lupina, leave those guys alone." Her grandma said. "It's not polite, sweetheart."

The little wolf runs back. "I'm sorry grandma." And the family walked further.

"Look, that was weird." Ian said.

"Come on, let's go." Anthony said and they started walking. "Hopefully we find someone that can help us."

They walked into the town and they came into a long ally. The giant houses were black and the street lanterns were lit up by pumpkins. Around the poles there were orange ribbons tied. The brown brick pavement was covered in cobwebs and orange confetti.

The two men saw other different creatures. They saw giant rats with angel wings, old ladies with black robes. When they laugh, you can see their rotten teeth. One of the old ladies was holding a broomstick. They even saw a couple of zombies and mummies.

Someone threw cobwebs on Ian's head and they saw a giant black widow spider with giant red eyes and fangs. She was wearing a pearl necklace and red lipstick on her fangs. Anthony notices that she wearing high black stiletto heels on her legs.

"Welcome to the town." She said with a happy voice. "Happy Halloween!" And she walked further.

Ian saw there were everywhere and stifled a scream. He looked at Anthony. "I can't take this anymore. I just want to go back home."

"Dude…just relax." He said. "Don't freak out."

"Just relax?" Ian asked. "I'm not the only one who is shaking."

He was right, Anthony was shaking. Normally he was not afraid of spiders, but this one was even bigger than him. He would have nightmares for days. But Anthony must stay focused, if he would panic they never get out of this place. And if you are in a panic, it can cost your life.

"Look man, we must stay focused." Anthony said. "I know you are scared and to be honest, I'm scared too. But if we started panicking, we never get out of here. We need to keep our heads straight."

Ian nodded. "You are right."

Suddenly getting busier and the men were pushed forward by the large group of creatures until they arrived at a large round square. Dozens of garlands with illuminated skulls decorated the square.

On the sides were big tables with food and drink bowls. In the center of the square stood a fountain with green water.

There was a band of four werewolves who made music. They were standing on a stage. One played the drums, two others played guitar and one was singing. Everyone was dancing, drinking, eating and it seemed like everyone was having a good time.

But the crowd was getting busier and the two men struggled to stay together. Suddenly the music stopped and someone was rushed to the stage. It was a short, fat man and was wearing a black tall top hat and was wearing a black suit. The man had a shape of a cone. His face was very white and looked in terror.

"My best residents and guests of Halloween Town, I'm very sorry….so sorry." He said. "But I've gotten word from our lovely ... ... Ruler ..."

He swallowed a few times and went on. "She sent them here, I don't know why... As mayor of this town, I declare this Halloween... Canceled."

"There are here!" someone cried. "There are here!"

The crowd panicked and started to run to the nearest alley. Ian and Anthony were pushed away from each other.

"Ian!" Anthony cried. "Ian, stay close!"

But they have been further driven out from each other. "Anthony!" Ian cried and he tried to get closer to him, but the crowd blocked the road every time.

"Anthony! Where are you?"

Ian was driven in an alley. As he tried to get back to the square, a panicking creature pushed Ian hard against a stone wall. He came with back of his head hard against the wall. Ian felt the blood slide past his neck. The world around began to blur and Ian felt down to his knees. His body started to get numb.

Ian heard shouting in the distance and heard even gunshots. He heard also a soft voice nearby. But before Ian realized that someone was standing behind him, he fell unconscious.

* * *

Anthony was further driven away from the square. He pushed the creatures away to get back.

"Ian!" Anthony cried. The square began to run low, when Anthony stood near the stage, the last creatures ran away from the square. Anthony looked around, but he didn't saw Ian. Did someone take him? Or did he run somewhere else?

"Ian!" Anthony cried again. "Ian, answer me! Dammit!"

They were separated again and Anthony swore under his breath. Ian cannot survive this place without him. He saw the fear in Ian's eyes and without Anthony's mental support he maybe gets hurt. He had heard gunshots, hopefully Ian was not hit.

"_Alright, alright think Anthony!_" Anthony said furious in his head. "_Don't panic, he must be here somewhere. He couldn't be that far, I hope._"

He looked around the square, it was dead quiet. Anthony took a deep breath.

"Great, where do I start?" He said aloud. And he decides to walk into nearest alley. He saw a sign hanging on the stonewall of the building: _Bella Donna vampire alley. _Anthony kept walking and ignored the sign. There were large puddles of water and it smelled like rotten eggs. He fought the urge to vomit.

Anthony walked through the puddles, he didn't want to know what kind of water that was. He heard the sound of footsteps and they came to him. He turned around and saw that someone came up to him.

Anthony could not see who it was. "Ian? Is that you?" But the person said nothing and came closer to him.


	6. Trouble with vampires

Chapter 6: Trouble with vampires

* * *

The person came closer at Anthony. "Ian?"

"I'm not Ian or whoever that is." said the person with a woman's voice. She came walked over to Anthony and he smelled her strong apple perfume.

Anthony looked at her. It was the woman with the white Victorian dress and blond hair, he and Ian saw her at the entrance of the town. Her white face looked at him, it was smooth and was evenly. Her lips were blood red and she smiled.

"I know it's very dangerous here." She said. "But I'm safe with you."

The lady came much closer at Anthony. Her breast touches his chest. His heart was pounding. "Look….Look lady…I'm just…"

"My name is Scarlett." She said and her face came closer to Anthony's. He could feel her warm breath against his cheek. "What is yours?"

Anthony wants to walk away, but Scarlett pushed him against the wall. Before he realized what was happening, the woman stood before him. "Oh, you are naughty." Scarlett said and grabbed Anthony both by his wrists. "I'm only asking, what is your name?"

Anthony tried to break free from her grasp, but she was very strong. He gave her what she wanted and maybe she let him go. "Anthony." He said quickly. "My name is Anthony."

"What a sweet name." Scarlett said and her face came closer to Anthony's face. She gave him a kiss on his mouth. She forced Anthony opens his mouth, so that their tongues touched each other. Anthony tried to break away again, but he failed. Deep inside he was disgusted.

Scarlett stopped with the kiss and looked at Anthony with a smile. "You taste very good, Anthony." Scarlett said. "It's almost you are….different."

"Let me go." Anthony said angrily.

"Why?" Scarlett said. "I know you want me."

"You're wrong."

Scarlett stopped smiling and her face get closer towards Anthony's neck. "I can't wait to taste….your sweet vampire blood…If you let me…." She whispered and showed her vampire teeth. "Maybe then….you thinking different about me…"

Your vampire blood? She taught that he was a vampire. Anthony must escape before she realizes that he was a normal human. He saw in vampire movies, that they could taste normal en vampire blood.

"Wait...wait… if you just…." Anthony said.

"Scarlett!' someone cried.

Scarlett looked up and she was letting Anthony go. He felt down to the ground. "Oh no, my boyfriend."

"Your boyfriend?" Anthony asked. "Seriously?"

A tall man was running towards Scarlett, he was wearing a white suit with a black bow tie. His long blond hair was tied up in a low ponytail. "What is the meaning of this?"

"It is nothing Emil." Scarlett said. "Just go…"

"You know it is dangerous and…" He said and began to smell her. "Have you been drinking?"

Scarlett didn't looked at him. "Oh my lord…you are drunk. Dammit." Emil said and looked at Anthony. "What have you done with her?"

"I…I did nothing…she came…" Anthony said and tried to get up, but Emil grabbed him by his vest and lifted him up. "Look, man…I do not want any trouble …I'm just looking for my…"

"Too late, pale." Emil said and showed his vampire teeth and bite Anthony in his neck. The pain shot through his body. Anthony tried to scream, but no sound came from his throat.

Emil suddenly let go of him and Anthony fell to the ground. He put his hand on his neck and felt his warm blood. The vampire had bitten deep into his neck and he was afraid he would lose too much blood. Emil looked at him with horror. "What's wrong?" Scarlett asked and stand beside him.

"He is….You are a human!" Emil said and pointed at Anthony. "Because of you, they are here!"

"What are you talking…. about?" Anthony asked and stands up. "Who are they?"

The group heard footsteps and they looked. In the darkness there were standing two figures. They were silent and Anthony was nervous. What were they?

"He is here…you can take him." Emil said quickly and he tried to grab Anthony. But he pushed the vampire away and run. "Come back!"

Anthony ran out of the alley and looked around the square in panic. He heard the two vampires running behind him. He quickly hid behind two large barrels. Anthony looked very carefully aside and saw that the vampires were out of the alley.

The two vampires were running out of the alley. "Dammit, where is he?" Emil said angrily.

Suddenly they heard a strange sound and Anthony could not describe what it was. He looked at the two vampires. It seemed that they were tied with an invisible rope.

"Oh no, please don't!" Scarlett cried with tears. "We will find him!"

"Please, we beg you!" Emil cried. "Please!"

Anthony saw that someone walked out of the alley. He was startled, the creature looked like a normal human. His skin was white as snow and he wore jeans with a white robe up to his thighs. His dark hair was short and spikey.

The creature had his fingers toward the two vampires. It took his hands apart and the vampires were torn into pieces. Their blood and insides were spread over the ground. Anthony looked quickly away and tried not to vomit.

He heard the footsteps of that creature. Anthony knew it was close and did not dare to breathe. "_Please go away._" He said in his head. "_Please go away!_"

As if the creature had heard him, he walked back into the alley. Anthony was shaking with fear and breathes heavily. He dared not move. But he could not sit there forever, he must find Ian. He stood up with trembling legs and was trying not to look at the blood on the ground. Anthony quickly ran to another alley.

* * *

Ian was slowly waking up. He saw still blurry and starts blinking his eyes. When he saw clearly, he rose slowly. Ian was lying in a wooden bed and had a blanket of white wool over him.

He looked around, he was in a small square room. The walls, ceiling and the floor were made of wooden planks. From the ceiling hung a thick wire with a lamp, it blinked, but luckily there was light.

There was a broken mirror on the wall and he saw that the wooden door was partly rotting. There were no windows in the room.

Ian felt a painful sting on the back of his head. He felt his head and he felt that there sutures in it. How come that in there? Did someone help him?

Suddenly there appeared something from the floor. Ian was shocked, but when he looked closer, he saw that it was a ghost of a dog. He had a red nose and his tail was swiping. The dog flew towards Ian and starting to lick his face.

"Hey, stop." Ian said with a smile. For the first time since he got here, he wasn't afraid. Ian saw that the dog had a red collar around his neck, with a silver name tag.

The dog stopped licking and Ian looked at his name tag. "Zero…Your name is Zero?"

Zero started to bark and his red nose started to light up. It reminds Ian of Rudolph the red nose reindeer. Zero flew around him, it seemed he was happy to see Ian awake.

He flew through the wall and came back with a ball in his mouth. Zero flew back at Ian and gave him the ball. Ian smiled at throw the ball. Zero catches it and brought the ball back to him.

"Look at me." Ian said. "I'm playing with a ghost dog. Can it even crazier?"

The door opens with a cracking sound. Ian and Zero looked up. The ghost dog began to bark happily.

"Oh, thank lord, your awake." said the creature with a girl's voice in the doorway. "I was worried about your wound and I was afraid you wouldn't wake up….How are you feeling?"


	7. Not like it used to be

Chapter 7: Not like it used to be

* * *

Ian looked at the creature. She had long red hair to her waist. She wore a black dress with short sleeves. Around her waist she had tied a white ribbon. She wore black open shoes emblazoned with small diamonds. She was so ready to go to a ball. Her big white eyes looked at Ian.

"How are you?" She asked and came closer to Ian.

When she came closer, he saw that she had a suture in her face, in her neck and a few in her arms. What kind of creature was she? A ragdoll? Ian went sitting higher in the bed.

"Oh please, do not be afraid." She said softly. "I mean no harm.'

"Who...are you?" Ian asked. "And where am I?"

"Oh I'm sorry." She said and stopped next to the bed. "My name is Sally and this is our shelter and ..."

"Our shelter?" Ian asked.

At that time came someone inside and closed the door. Zero immediately flew towards him. "Ah, Sally here you are." he said with a smile and looked to Ian. "Wonderful, you're awake."

The long man wore a black pin-striped suit and a bow tie that looked like a bat. Ian looked startled, the man was a skeleton. "We were afraid you would not wake up. Are you hungry? Thirsty? We have plenty kinds of drinks." and he walked towards Ian and Sally.

Ian did not know what to say. He saw a living skeleton and a girl who looked like a rag doll. He hoped he was dreaming. "_Can someone, please wake me up_." Ian said in his head. He also hoped that Joshua threw ice cold water over him again. He did this as a joke, because Ian had fallen asleep during episode of Smosh Games.

"He is so quiet, should we do something?" Sally asked the skeleton man.

"I don't know." The skeleton man said and looked at Ian. "What is your name boy?"

"Ian."

"Nice to meet you Ian." said the skeleton man. He grabbed Ian's hand and shook him violently. "My name is Jack Skellington and this is my wife Sally and my dog Zero. I would like to welcome you in this world, but unfortunately the conditions are not so good."

Ian managed to pull himself loose from the Jack's hand. "And don't worry, you are safe here with us. Luckily we were able to rescue from the square just in time. If Sally you had not seen you ..." Jack said.

"Wait, you guys have rescued me form that square?' Ian asked. "What happened?"

* * *

_Sally ran down the alley. She heard everywhere shouting and some gunfire. Jack and the others had to be close. Many creatures tried to flee and she was almost run over. They were here, Sally knew that. She got the chills when she thought about it. _

_Hopefully Jack and the others were cautious. They could not afford to lose any more friends. _

_Suddenly she saw that someone was pushed hard against the wall. Sally ran to him and saw that he fell unconscious. She knelt beside him and looked at him. Suddenly she was startled. _

"_Oh no." She whispered. "This cannot be true."_

"_Sally!" Someone cried. Sally turned her head and saw the skeleton man running towards her. "What's wrong? We have to hurry!"_

"_Jack…." Sally said anxiously. "This boy…"_

_Jack looked at the unconscious man. He was still breathing, that is a good sign. "He is a human." Sally said. "That's why they are here. They are looking for him, what should we do?"_

_Jack swore under his breath. "We must take him back to the shelter, before he gets found." _

_Jack and Sally grabbed the man by each arm and lifted him up. "Jack, he is bleeding. We have to hurry!" Sally said._

* * *

"And that's how you got here." Sally said with a faint smile. "I have used the sutures to treat you. You bled heavily."

Ian gave her a smile. "Thank you."

"No problem." Sally with a smile.

Ian found out that these creatures were nice and that he had nothing to fear from them. They looked strange, but that did not matter. "Can you guys tell me what's going on here?"

Jack and Sally looked at each other. "He has the right to know, Jack." Sally said. "He must know why she is after him."

"Who is she?" Ian asked.

Jack sighed and sits down on the bed. "You are in the world of Halloween. In this world live all kinds of scary creatures. We live in peace and we did not harm anyone. We had a good ruler, our king you can say. He had a lovely wife who was kind for everyone. Until..."

There was a silent. "Until what?" Ian asked.

"Our king left his wife." Sally said. "They said he had left her for someone else. That poor woman was heartbroken. She took on the role of ruler of this world. "

"But that was not all. At that time we had humans like you in our world. It is forbidden to travel between different worlds, even for us. But the humans did not know that, we noticed that they came every year around 31 October. " Jack said.

"The day of Halloween." Ian muttered. He noticed that Zero floated next to him.

"Exactly, our new ruler promised us she would fix the problem. But instead of sending them away in peace, she arrested them and turned them into murderers. She is after every human that sets foot here. She also began to turn against her own kind." Jack continued.

"Many innocent creatures and humans are dead because of her." Sally said. "Jack started with me and the mayor of this town a resistance group. We try to beat her but all our plans have failed. Our world is not like it used to be. Our happiness and peace is gone."

"That all because your ruler has a broken heart?" Ian asked.

"We don't know." Jack said. "We don't know all the answers. That irritates me."

"Why is it forbidden to travel between the worlds?"

"People do not belong here, as we are not in your world." Jack said. "I think."

"You think?" Ian asked.

"Nobody tells us the reason." Jack said. "But do you understand about our problem?"

"I guess." Ian said. Before he could ask more questions, the door went open.

"I see that you are awake." said someone with a girl's voice.

The group looked up and a girl came into the room. She was dark brown tinted and had long curly black hair down to her shoulders. She wore a light gray jacket with long sleeves. Underneath she wore purple shirt with white text: "Please don't stop the music." Her dark blue pants had many holes.

Her dark brown eyes were looking at Ian. "You were lucky." She said. "I could not believe it when they said they had found another human."

"Are you…." Ian said.

"Yes, I'm a human." She said with an irritated voice and looked at Jack. "A few of our group has returned. We only miss Zulu. I'm afraid she's caught."

Ian could hardly believe itself that she was another person in this world. He did not know whether to be happy or scared. But the girl looked familiar. Has he seen her before?

"Dammit!" Jack said angrily and stood up. Zero was startled and flew into the wall to another room. "I had told her that she had to be careful! Dammit!"

"Jack, please calm down." Sally said.

"Calm down?" Jack asked. "Zulu is another friend that we lost. How many have died? I'll tell you, too much! "

"I'm sorry Jack." said the girl. "But we need to continue this fight."

"That's easy for you to say." Jack said bitterly. "Zulu was a good friend."

Good friend? Ian suddenly remembered something. He had not seen Anthony. Perhaps he was even outside. Ian got out of bed. "I have to go."

The others looked at him with surprise. "Excuse me?" the girl asked.

"I have to go. Anthony is maybe outside." Ian said. "I have to find him."

"Anthony?" Jack asked and looked at him. "Are you not alone here?"

"No…I…"

The girl shrugged. "Then he is dead."

Ian looked at her. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying finding him is a waste of time." The girl said. "He is probably dead, deal with it."

And the girl left the room. Ian felt the anger rising in him. How could she say that? She had no evidence that Anthony was dead. He did not believe that. Ian knows his best friend, he does not die that easily.

Jack put a hand on his shoulder. "She is probably right, Ian." He said. "Most humans don't survive here the next few hours. Only if there are lucky, but I don't think Anthony had that luck."

Ian pushed his hand away and looked at him with anger in his eyes. "How could you say that? You don't know that for sure."

"We have seen it many times." Jack said.

"It doesn't matter what you say. I know he's still alive and I have to go find him." Ian said. "In our world, he has family, friends and a girlfriend. They will worry about him."

"Ian…" Sally said.

"I appreciate that you found me, I'm very grateful for that." Ian said. "But I will not let my friend down." And Ian left the room.

Sally looked at Jack. "Are we going to help him Jack?"

"I don't know." Jack said. "I don't want to put anyone at risk."

"But we can't leave him." Sally said and sits down next to the skeleton man. "It looks like he will not give up, until he finds his friend. He reminds me a little bit of you."

"What do you mean?" Jack asked and looked at his wife.

"When you save me." Sally said. "When I was caught….you didn't give up on me. And I know you still won't give up this fight against her. I think we should help him."

Jack nodded. "Yeah, you are right." And he took Sally's hand. His wife gave him a smile and laid her head on his shoulder. "And maybe we can make a plan to stop her."

The skeleton man gave Sally a kiss on her forehead. "You are always kind en helpful to everyone. I love you."

* * *

Ian went downstairs. The wooden stairs creaked loudly under his feet. On the wall hung small red lanterns, they gave little light, so Ian could not see the step. He suddenly missed a step and grabbed the banister. "Jesus…."He whispered.

Once down, he stood a small dark hallway. Ian heard barking and turned around. The ghost dog of Jack hovered for him, his red nose began to glow. "Hey Zero." He said. "Can you show me the way out?"

The dog began to whimper softly. "I'm sorry, but I have to go."

Zero flew towards a black door that was covered with sharp spines. Ian followed him and opened carefully the door. Ian saw a long corridor with many doors above each door hung a lantern.

On the floor lay a long dark red carpet. Ian walked amazed inside and the door hit behind him. "What the…" Ian muttered and turned around and he saw that the door he came in had disappeared. He was startled, what should he do now?

Zero flew through the wall and barked happily. "Why are you so happy? This is not the way out." Ian asked. The dog flew past him and went into the hallway. He started barking, Zero wanted Ian to follow him. Ian did not have much choice and decided to follow the ghost dog.


	8. The undertaker

Chapter 8: The undertaker

* * *

Anthony ran out of the alley and kept running. Until he was out of breath and stopped running. He gasped for air and felt his heart beating in his neck. Anthony put his hand on his neck. His wound was still bleeding.

"Dammit…" Anthony whispered.

He looked up and saw large fence with iron rods. Behind the fence, Anthony saw a few tombstones, it was a cemetery. Perhaps Ian was there. It was unlikely, because Ian was afraid of that.

Last year with Halloween, Anthony and the members of Smosh games have let him so much scare on a cemetery, that Ian had now a phobia for those places. Anthony still had to laugh when he thought of it.

But this could be a perfect hiding place for the creatures that he had seen. Anthony walked along the fence until he arrived at the entrance of the cemetery.

At the entrance were two stone statues that looked like angels, they wore long dresses down to their feet. One of the angel's wings was broken and one was missing a head.

Anthony carefully opens the gate. The gate began to crack loudly and he prayed that no one had heard him. He looked up and saw the angel looked at him. He saw with her empty eyes and she didn't smile.

He gulped and hurried inside. What he did not know was that the head of the angel followed him. Anthony walked over a gravel path and because of the light of the moon he could see many tombstones. There were large and small, some of them had a shape of a cross.

"Ian!" Anthony cried. "Where are you?" He got no response, it was dead quiet. "Ian!"

Anthony hated to admit it, but he was also scared of cemeteries. He was afraid that something came from behind a tombstone, ready to kill him. The cemetery was so large that it can be difficult to find Ian here.

It starts to get colder and Anthony saw his own breath. He heard laughter, laughter of children. They came closer. Suddenly two ghost children ran past by Anthony.

They were two little girls with short dresses up to their knees. One girl had two braids in her hair and the other had long hair up to her waist. The girls were all white.

"_You will never find us!_" cried the girl with the two braids and the other girl began to laugh. Anthony saw the two girls disappear.

"_Excuse me, sir?_"

Anthony turned around and saw before him a ghost of a little girl. She was wearing a short skirt up to her knees and was wearing a short-sleeved shirt. She wore glasses making her dark eyes bigger. She had her hair in a low tail. On her face Anthony could see her freckles.

"Eh….yes?" Anthony asked a little startled.

"_I'm looking for my friends. Did you saw them?_" the little girl asked.

"Ehm….I guess that way…." Anthony said and pointed somewhere in the distance.

"_Thank you sir!_" the little girl said with a big smile. "_We play hide and seek, do you want to join?"_

"..No thank you…." Anthony said and started to get dizzy. "I'm….not feeling good…"

The little girl shrugged. "_Okay__, maybe some other time_." And she disappears.

The world began to spin around Anthony and he grabbed the nearest tombstone. In the distance he still heard the laughter of the ghost children.

Anthony began to vomit and let himself fall on his knees. Anthony felt miserable. He wished that Ian was here, he wished he was home. "Ian…. for god's sake…where are you?"

Suddenly he heard footsteps. Anthony turned his head around and saw a great light coming towards him. "Hey! Who are you?" cried man's voice.

Anthony got up and tried to run away, but the dizziness increased and he stumbled through the grass. He heard crackling of dead flowers under his feet. Anthony staggered out, towards a large mausoleum.

He heard the footsteps were coming closer. Anthony sat against a pillar of the mausoleum. He looked up and saw that there was a person in front of him with a big lantern in his hand.

Because of the light he could not see the person. Maybe it was one of those creatures in the ally. Anthony felt his heart pounding in his chest.

He pointed his hand towards the person. "Look man….just…stay away… please…don't hurt me."

"I'm not going to hurt you, boy." The person said with a crackly voice.

"Please…stay away." Anthony said. "I….I…" Because of the dizziness he fell sideways to the ground. The person dropped his lantern and caught him.

"Easy now, guinea pig." He said and he lifted him. He grabbed Anthony's arm and hit it around his shoulder. He allowed Anthony to lean on him, with his free hand he grabbed his lantern.

"I see that you are injured and you were stumble through my dead violins." They began to walk. "Do you know how hard it is to get them dead? I tell you, it is really difficult. They bloom like weeds."

Anthony glanced at the man. He wore a top hat came and his silver hair came down to his shoulders. He wore a long black robe down to his feet. He did Anthony think of a priest.

"Where are… you taking… me?" Anthony asked.

"I take you to my place." The man said. "I can also take care of your wound. Looks like you've lost a lot of blood."

Anthony suddenly sank to his legs. The man stopped him. "We are almost there, just hold on."

They walked toward a small house. The walls were stark white and the windows were made of stained glass. The man put down his lantern and opened the wooden door.

He snapped his fingers and all the light in the house went on. The room was small. There was a bed and a small wooden table with two chairs.

In the corner there was small kitchen. On the ceiling hung a large lamp, that illuminated the entire room. The walls were made of red brick and the floor of wood.

The man put Anthony down on the bed and walked out to take his lantern. The man came back and put his lantern on the table and he closed the door. He took of his hat and laid him down next to his lantern. Anthony could see him clearly.

His face was red and scaly, like he was severely burned. His nose was big and his right eye was gone. You saw only a black hole. The man looked at him with is red left eye and smiled. His teeth were yellow and he missed one front teeth. Anthony looked startled.

"Don't look so anxious." The man said and he walked to his kitchen. He grabbed a blue towel and put on the tap. "My name is Corvus, by the way." He made the towel wet. "I'm the undertaker of this graveyard."

Corvus did the tap off and squeezed out of the towel. "It surprised me that you are here. I was not expecting visitors around this time. Why are you here?"

Anthony said nothing. Corvus walked up to him and sat beside him on the bed. "Like I said do not look so anxious. I try to help you."

He dabbed the wet towel on Anthony's neck. "I see you are bitten by a vampire." Corvus said.

"Am I turning into one?" Anthony asked.

"Excuse me?"

""Am I turning into a vampire?"

"What? No, of course not." Corvus said and stopped with dabbing. "Don't be ridicules. How do you get that idea?"

"Well I…thought…"

"Oh, never mind." Corvus said. "You will only be a vampire if you drink their blood and if you are born as a vampire."

He stood up and walked back to his kitchen. Corvus came back with some bandage. "Did you have a fight?"

Anthony nodded. "Yeah, a drunken vampire girl came to me. Her boyfriend did not appreciate that."

Corvus sat down next to him and put the bandage on Anthony's neck. "I see."

"And there was something else." Anthony said. "There were other creatures…..they tore those vampires apart… I've never been so scared in my entire life…."

Corvus secures the bandage. "What do you mean by other creatures?"

"I saw them..." Anthony said. "They looked like normal humans."

Corvus walked back to the kitchen and came back with a blood red apple. "Do you have a name?"

"Anthony." And the undertaker gave him the apple.

"Eat, you will feel better." He said.

Anthony looked at the apple and realized that he was hungry. But he was also afraid that something would come out of it. Or maybe it was poisoned.

"It's just an apple, I've checked and it is not rotten." Corvus said. He picked up a chair and sat down before Anthony.

Anthony took a bite of the apple, it tasted delicious.

"Look Anthony, I know you are a normal human." Corvus said.

Anthony looked at him. "How do you know?"

"I have often seen normal humans, I know how to recognize them." Corvus said. "Every year around Halloween we are visited by normal humans like you. And those beings that you have seen are after you."

"Those vampires tried to give me to them." Anthony said. "What are they and why are they after me?"

"Originally they were normal people." Corvus said. "You came through a door, right?"

"Yeah." Anthony said. "We did."

"You are not alone here?" Corvus asked.

"No, I'm here with a friend. But we got lost each other during the chaos on the square." Anthony said. "Oh no… those creatures are also after him."

"I hope for you he is not dead." Corvus said. "If those guys get you, you will not live long."

"Why did you help me?" Anthony asked. "Do not you hand me over to them?"

Corvus shook his head. "Not everyone here is bad. They fear for their own lives, Anthony. If they do not do what they are told, they die."

The undertaker took a break and went on. "I on the other hand, I ignore the rules and rather do it my way." And start laughing.

Anthony began to feel more comfortable and realized that Corvus was good guy. "Thanks for helping me."

"No problem." The undertaker said. "If you're feeling better, we will look for your friend. Maybe he is at the..."

Suddenly they heard a loud banging on the door.


	9. The story of Allison

Chapter 9: The story of Allison

* * *

"Where are we going?" Ian asked the ghost dog, but Zero flew further. The corridor seemed to be endless. And it was dead quiet, Ian heard his own breathing and heartbeat. He didn't like that.

He wondered what was behind the doors. There were maybe other rooms, or was one of them the exit? Ian hopped so. But suddenly a door flew open and came against him. Ian felt a sharp pain in his nose and backed away. Zero flew to him and looked worried.

"Dammit…" Ian said. He felt his nose, luckily it is not bleeding. He looked up and saw nothing. There was no monster or ghost. But he heard loud growl, it looked like a dog. The door closed and Ian walked quickly followed by Zero.

"I don't like this place." Ian muttered. Zero started barking and flew towards a door. He looked at Ian. "Do I have to go in there?"

Zero flew through the door. Ian grabbed the doorknob and he opened the door. He arrived in a large room full of different creatures. There was music, and many creatures had glasses in their hands or claws. It seemed that Ian had walked into a bar.

The walls were bare and the floor was of red carpet. The creatures seemed to have a good time. They are talking, laughing and some were dancing. Ian looked around and wondered why Zero had him brought here. But the ghost dog was nowhere to be seen.

Someone bumped into him. "Hey! Watch were you walking!"

Ian saw that it was a zombie. His skin was gray and his jaw was hanging sideways. The weird thing was that he was wearing a suit with a tie. He had short gray hair combed back smooth. He looked at Ian with his big yellow eyes. "Are you deaf?"

"You're the one who ran against me." Ian said. "You have to watch out."

"Are you challenging me?" the zombie asked.

Ian felt his heart in his throat. "No, I'm just…."

"Leave that poor kid alone, Bane." said a voice.

The zombie turned his head around and Ian followed his gaze. They saw a big black widow walk towards them. Ian looked shocked, it was the same spider that he saw at the entrance of the city. Her high black stiletto heels made a loud noise.

"Mind your own business." said the zombie.

"You look good, Bane. Do you have a date?" The spider said.

Bane looked at the spider. "Yes, I have. Oh no, I'm late." And he walked away from Ian.

The spider started to walk toward Ian. "Do not take this personally." The spider said. "Sometimes he is a bit cranky, but he forgets things easily."

Ian nodded and noticed that he was shaking. He was standing near a big black widow spider. In his world, they were smaller and deadly.

"Are you alright, honey?" the spider said with a worried voice. "You see a little white."

"I'm…..fine…." Ian said.

"Honey, I know that if someone is not feeling well." The spider said. "I can tell you, I have raised hundreds of children."

"It is just…. You're a big spider and I'm honestly ..."

"Afraid of spiders?"

"Not really afraid….but….don't take this personal." Ian said.

"Oh, I'm not honey." The spider said. "I'm so sorry I scare you. It was not my intention."

"It is alright." Ian said. Maybe if they keep talking, maybe the fear will drop.

"You look familiar." The spider said. "You're that guy I saw at the entrance!" She held out one of her front leg. "My name is Poppy, nice to meet you."

Ian swallowed and touched the leg and Poppy began to shake. Her leg felt very hairy and soft. It felt like down.

"I'm…Ian, nice to meet you too." And he released her leg.

"Do you like the town?" Poppy asked. "Without those mannequins, the town can be very nice."

"Mannequins?" Ian asked. "What are you talking about?"

"You don't know?" Poppy asked. "Did they not tell you?"

"Hey Poppy!" someone cried. Ian looked up and saw that someone approached. It was the same girl he had seen before. "One of your children is playing with matches."

Poppy sighed. "Here we go again. I'm so tired of this." And the spider started to walk. "I see you later, honey!"

"Yeah, right." Ian said and Poppy walked away. The girl looked at Ian. He saw that she had a glass with green stuff in her hands. "How are you?"

Ian was still angry at her, because of her assertion that Anthony would be dead. He said nothing. The girl sighed. "Look, I do not want you to think I'm a nasty bitch. But I think you should be prepared, just in case."

"He is not dead." Ian said. "I refuse to believe that."

The girl nodded and Ian gave the glass. "Have a drink, you'll be dehydrated." He picked up the glass and looked at the green stuff. Was it poisoned?

"Don't worry, it tastes better than it looks." The girl said with a faint smile and Ian took a small sip. The drink tastes sickly sweet and twisted his mouth. It tasted like apples and very sour candies.

"I know, it takes some time to get used to." The girl said.

Ian nodded. "Thanks, but I think I'll skip this round." He looked at the girl. "You look so familiar...did we ever met before?"

"I don't think so." the girl said. "But anyway, follow me. I will explain everything."

Ian followed the girl. They walked out of the room and came out into the long corridor. "What is your name?" Ian asked as they walked down the corridor.

"Allison." She said. "Allison Rock."

Something came to mind at Ian. The name Allison Rock was in the paper, which he had seen. She was one of the missing teenagers. Allison opens one of the doors en walked inside. Ian followed her and he arrived in a round room. It was lit by a large lamp. On the floor lay a dark blue carpet and the walls were snow white. In the center was only a light brown couch. The couch was the only thing in the room.

"You're one of the six teenagers who went missing last year." Ian said and Allison sat down at the couch. "You were here all this time?"

Allison nodded. "I've been here a year."

Ian closed the door and sat down beside her on the couch. "What happened with you?"

"What is your name?"

"Ian Hecox."

"Okay Ian, I will start at the beginning." Allison said. "I went with my friends to a Halloween party. It was at the bar, where we always went."

She picked up a folded piece of paper out of her pocket. She folded it and Ian saw that it was a picture. He saw Allison insisted with two other girls and three boys.

"These were my best friends: Crystal and Heather." Allison said and pointed at the two other girls. Then she pointed at the three boys behind the girls. "These two are Enrique and his twin brother Ramirez. And this was my boyfriend Dylan." and she pointed to the dark-skinned boy who was standing behind Allison.

"We knew each other from an early age, and we were very close." Allison continued. "After the party we decided to spend some time walking in the woods. Ramirez had heard about a strange phenomenon that something was going to happen at full moon. "

"We have heard that too." Ian said.

"So we went there, the moon shone on seven trees and we saw the doors." Allison said.

"And you noticed that one door was open." Ian said and Allison nodded.

"We went inside. I have no idea why, maybe we were just drunk." Allison said. "But we came into this world. Had Jack told you the story about the ruler?"

"Yeah, her husband left her for someone else." Ian said. "And that she attacks humans and her own kind."

"Yes, she has mannequins." Allison said. "The ruler turns any normal human into a mannequin. Some call them puppets, that's why her nickname is the puppet mistress."

"I don't understand…how does she turn humans into…puppets?" Ian asked.

"I heard from someone that they have their hearts cut out and replaced with a wooden heart. They inject something and you changed into…that ..."Allison said. "That person had worked for her. He had fled and joined the resistance."

"Their hearts…." Ian said and got the chills. He began to be sick when he thought about it. "Are they dead?"

"Sort of." Allison said with a sad face. "They are more dead than alive."

"Are your friends.." Ian said.

Allison nodded. "When we had just arrived, we were attacked immediately. Crystal and Heather were captured right away. The boys and I were able to flee in time. Jack and Sally found us and we decided to help them. We tried to save the girls, but we failed and Ramirez was caught."

She sighed deeply and continued. "Three months ago Dylan was captured. He tried along with a group to carry out an attack on the puppet mistress. But that attack failed. And Enrique was caught yesterday. I do not know if he's alive, but I fear the worst."

Ian did not know what to say. He was afraid and Anthony was still out there. What if he turned into a puppet? What should he do?

"I'm very sorry, Allison." Ian said.

Allison photo folded and put it back in her pocket. "The worst thing is that I have not saved Enrique yet. I'm too scared."

"I'm also scared." Ian said. "But we can save Enrique and Anthony together. You know this world better than I, we can ask Jack if he can help us."

Allison looked at Ian. "Is Anthony your brother?"

"No…"

"Your lover?"

"What? No!" Ian said. "He is my best friend."

"I see." Allison said softly.

There was a silence, it made Ian bit uncomfortable. "Allison, is there a way out of this world?" Ian finally asked.

But before Allison could say anything, the door opened. They looked up and saw Sally and standing in the doorway. "Here you are. You have to come with me."

"Is something wrong Sally?" Allison asked.

Sally nodded. "The mayor is here, he wants to speak to the resistance. I think something happened. Come."

And Allison and Ian followed Sally to the corridor. Ian was hoping that everything went well with Anthony.


	10. Mannequins

Chapter 10: Mannequins

* * *

The banging on the door grew louder. Corvus looked at Anthony. "Quick, go to the kitchen." He whispered. "Don't make a sound and stay low."

Anthony did what he was told and hurried to the small kitchen. He went down on his knees on the cold ground and dared not move. Corvus walked slowly towards the door. "Who is there? The graveyard is closed, please come tomorrow….."

"Corvus! It's me!" someone cried. "Dammit man, let me in!"

Corvus recognized the voice and made fast the door. "Mayor?"

Anthony looked up slowly. He saw Corvus together with a short fat man. He recognized him, Anthony had seen him in the square.

"What are you doing here?" Corvus asked the mayor. He picked up a chair and the mayor jumped on it.

"It is terrible, Corvus." The mayor said. "Just terrible! She sent the mannequins again to the town. Did you not hear it?"

"Of course I have heard." Corvus said flatly. "The ghosts were very upset tonight."

"Yeah, Yeah…" The mayor said quickly. Anthony saw that he was very stressed, poor guy.

"Did you hear anything from Jack?" Corvus said. "Or someone else of the resistance?"

"Be quiet!" The mayor whispered. "The walls have ears!"

"Don't be so ridicules." Corvus said. "What is it?"

"I received a message through the mail bat." The mayor said. "They found a normal human. He was wounded."

Anthony was a bit shocked, probably he was talking about Ian. Was he injured? Hopefully it was not serious.

"What have they done to him?" Corvus asked. "Have they brought him to the resistance?"

The mayor nodded and Anthony sighed with relief. He knew that Ian would be safe.

"This is not good, because that human our entire Halloween party is ruined." The mayor said. "I've also heard that two vampires were attacked and killed!"

Corvus sighed. "We must do something."

"Like what?" The mayor said. "We have tried everything! Do you have an idea?"

"No, you?" Corvus said with an irritated voice. "You are the mayor."

Anthony's nose began to itch and began to sneeze twice. The mayor was shocked and fell off his chair. "What was that?" he asked and looked around.

"Eh, nothing…." Corvus said. "It was just a ghost…"

"You can't fool me, Corvus." The mayor said and walked into the room. "Did you hide someone?"

Corvus sighed. "If you promise me that you don't freak out."

"Fine."

"Anthony? It's alright." Corvus said. "Come out." And Anthony came slowly behind from the kitchen.

The eyes of the mayor got bigger. He looked at Anthony and then back to Corvus. "Is he a normal human? A human?" He asked. "Seriously Corvus? Oh my lord, this is terrible!"

"Yes and you promise me that you don't freak out." Corvus said.

"I don't care!" the mayor cried. "Those humans are the source of our problem! I'm sick of it!"

"Hey, it's not my fault." Anthony said and walked towards the mayor and Corvus. "We came here by accident."

"I'm not interesting in that." said the mayor and pointed at him. "You must go, get out of this world."

"Can you tell me how?" Anthony asked with anger in his voice. "And I'm not leaving without my friend. You said he is at the resistance group?"

"Yes, maybe." said the mayor flatly. "They found someone, I can't tell it is your friend."

Anthony looked at Corvus. "Are you a part of that group?"

"Yes." The undertaker said. "Our friend Jack Skellingon is the leader of the resistance. I wanted to tell you."

"It doesn't matter, can you show me where it is?" Anthony asked.

"It is very dangerous outside.' Corvus said.

"And the mannequins are patrolling the town." The mayor said. "It will be foolish for you to go outside, unless you want to be caught."

"Shut up." Corvus muttered and the mayor shrugged. Mannequins? Were those the creatures Anthony had seen at the square? Suddenly the door flew open. Anthony turned around and saw that a man walked in.

His face was very green and slimy. It dripped from his face and his black suit was covered in green slime. One of its yellow eyes was bigger than the other. Also his hands were covered with green slime.

"Oh no…" whispered the mayor and he was shaking.

"Good evening, gentlemen." The man said calm. "I hope I did not interrupt your tea party." He walked further into the house and he was looking at Anthony. "I see you have a guest."

"Leave this place." Corvus said. "The cemetery is closed, Sheriff Grimm."

The man stopped walking. "You know I don't care about that. Arrest those two!" He said. Behind him four creatures appear. Anthony looked at them with shocked eyes. He had seen them before.

There were four mannequins. Anthony noticed there were two female and two male mannequins. One of the boys was light brown tinned and the others where white as snow. They all wore a white robe and three of them wore jeans. Only one female mannequin was wearing a pink skirt up to her knees with underneath white quickly grabbed Anthony and he looked into their eyes. They were all white, with no iris.

He tried to fight back, but the two mannequins were too strong for him. Anthony saw that Corvus also was seized by the other two. But he did not fight back. They dragged the two men outside. Outside stood one other male mannequin, but his skin was gray and and he had black holes and cracks in it. It seemed like he was broken. They stopped walking and Anthony saw the green guy walked out of the house. He was followed by the mayor.

"Wait, Wait!' He cried. "Please, Sheriff Grimm…"

Grimm looked at the mayor. "Sorry mister mayor, you know the rules of this town." He said. "Consider yourself as lucky. Our ruler still needs you as mayor, so you can go unpunished." He looked at Corvus and Anthony. "But as for you…."

"Punish me, Grimm." Corvus said. "Let the boy go."

"What?" Anthony asked and looked at him.

Grimm laughed. "Sorry, mister undertaker. I cannot do that. My boss will get pissed." He said. "You don't want to see her pissed."

"How did you know anyway?" Corvus asked.

"Simple." Grimm said and looked at the mayor. "I just followed him and wait for the right moment."

The mayor looked in terror. "Oh no..no..no!…I'm so sorry, Corvus…I didn't know."

"Anyway." Grimm said and looked back at Corvus. "You will be punished because you hide a normal human. And your penalty is death."

"No, you can't do that!' Anthony cried and tried to free himself from the mannequins. But they held him tighter, giving him pain in his arms.

"This is not of your concern, boy." Grimm said and he looked at the mannequin with the gray skin. The mannequin walked towards Corvus.

"What are you going to do?" Anthony asked but Grimm didn't answer.

Anthony's heart was pounding in his throat and starting to sweat. The gray mannequin stopped walking and stood a few meters before Corvus. The two female mannequins were letting him go. But before Corvus could make a move the gray mannequin founded his hands towards him. Anthony saw silver wires came out of his fingers and tied in Corvus. With each move, the wires cut in his flesh. Anthony suddenly knew what was going to happen, this he had seen on the square. It happened also with those vampires.

"Last words?" Grimm asked Corvus.

Corvus looked at Anthony and smiled at him, but he said nothing.

"Proceed."

The gray mannequin took his hands apart and the wires Corvus sat down tighter. The undertaker started screaming in pain and within a few seconds he was torn apart. Anthony began to feel light-headed and shank to his legs. The male mannequins stopped him.

"No!" cried the mayor. "How could you…"

"That's my job, mister mayor." Grimm said and walked towards Anthony. "Maybe you should go. Unless you're hiding someone else."

Anthony looked at the mayor. "_Please, shut your stupid head_." He thought and Grimm stood before him. He smelled like rotten fish and strong garlic.

"Our ruler would be pleased to have you." Grimm said with a smile and his black teeth were visible. Suddenly he hit hard into Anthony's belly. He felt the pain go through his entire lower body. Anthony began to see blurred.

"_Take him to the castle._" said the voice of Grimm, but his voice seemed to be far away. "_Be sure he comes there in one piece_." And the world around Anthony turned into complete darkness.


	11. Captive

Chapter 11: Captive

* * *

Anthony was slowly waking up. He saw blurry and noticed that he was moving. He slowly looked up and saw a male mannequin that he held in his arms. Anthony wanted to separate himself from the mannequin, but he felt weak and still felt the pain in his belly. He heard screams in the distance.

Anthony wanted to look around, see where the mannequins had brought him. But he could not because he still looked blurry. The mannequin kept walking. Until he went inside somewhere, Anthony saw that it was darker and was laid on the ground by the mannequin.

Anthony heard the sound of a chain and a loud click at his legs. The mannequin left the darkroom and did something close with a loud crack. Anthony heard the clink of a key in the lock and the mannequin walked away.

"_Am I in a dungeon?_" Anthony thought and the world began to fade around him. "_I must…" _And he closed his eyes. "_Escape…"_

_A man was running through a graveyard, he was panting and was afraid. The man tripped over a fallen gravestone. "I see you…you can't run from me…" whispered a soft woman's voice. _

_The man stood up quickly and kept running by. But suddenly something grabbed his leg and he fell again to the ground. _

_The man looked startled and saw that a hand stuck out of the ground. The hand was of a skeleton. The man tried to break free but more hands came out of the ground. __They grabbed the man's arms and legs and they kept coming until the man cannot move._

_Anthony watched the whole scene at a short distance. He was startled, the man was his best friend Ian. Anthony wanted to scream, but no sound came from his throat._

_Ian looked at him anxiously. "Anthony, please help me!"_

_Anthony wanted to run to him, but he could not move and he looked at his feet. His feet were poured into the earth. He tried to break free. "Help me! Hurry!"_

_Anthony looked up and saw that the skeleton hands pulled Ian down. He panicked and pulled his legs, but there was no movement to get into. Ian started to scream. __Anthony saw that Ian slowly disappeared under the ground._

* * *

Anthony woke up and sat up straight. He felt his heart pounding in his chest, but he was relieved. It was just a nightmare, it was not real. He looked around and he was in a small square cell. It was dark and it was a little illuminated by the light of the hallway. The bars were dark black and were covered with rust spots.

The ground was of soft sand and the walls of solid black bricks. There was no window and Anthony heard something. He looked around and saw a dark figure in the corner of his cell. He saw something moving it was big and did something to the figure.

Anthony tried to focus himself and heard a strange noise. He did not like that. Suddenly Anthony heard squeaks and there were more things moves towards the dark figure. Anthony slowly crawled back until he felt the bars in his back.

He knew what it was, they were big rats and they were eating the dark figure. Whoever the figure was, he or she was already dead. Anthony looked at his ankle. The mannequin had fixed him with a chain. The end of the chain was riveted to the wall.

"Dammit." Anthony said.

"Hello? Are you awake?" asked a voice. Anthony turned around and saw a young man sitting in a cell across his own. The young man's skin was light brown tinted and his black hair was down to his shoulders. Anthony doubted he was a boy or a girl. He was wearing a black t-shirt with a faded print of a tiger and black jeans.

"Are you a normal human?" the boy asked. "Who are you?"

"Yes I am." Anthony said. "My name Anthony Padilla."

"Anthony Padilla?" the boy asked and he got a big smile on his face. "You are one of the Smosh guys! Me and my cousins always looked at all of your shows. You guys are really amazing."

"Eh…Thanks, glad you enjoyed it…" Anthony said. "But who are you?"

"I'm Enrique Victoria." He said. "I've been a year stuck in this world."

"A year?" Anthony asked. "Were you alone?"

Enrique shook his head. "I was here with my friends and my brother Ramirez. But they got caught by that stupid puppet mistress."

"Puppet mistresses?' Anthony asked. "Who is that?"

"That is the bitch that is in control this world." Enrique said. "And she is the one who controls the mannequins. I bet you have seen them?"

"Yeah, I saw them." Anthony said and he got the chills when he thought about it. "Were those guys….normal humans?"

"Yes, they were my friends." Enrique said. "She turned them into those things. And she will turn us too."

The fear began to grow in Anthony.

"If the circumstances were different, I would have asked for an autograph." Enrique said with a faint smile. "My cousin Estefana wanted to marry you and…" Enrique looked at Anthony. "Is Ian also here? Is he with you?"

"No." Anthony said. 'We lose each other during the chaos in the town. I don't know where he is. He is maybe at the resistance, according to the mayor."

Anthony thought of Corvus and felt guilty. He had helped him and that he had to pay with his life.

"If he is at the resistance group, he is with my friend Allison." Enrique said. "She is the only one of my friends who is still alive."

Anthony looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"Anthony….If the puppet misters turned us into mannequins, we will be dead." Enrique said. "We are beyond saving."

"Are you kidding me?" Anthony asked and looked around. "We have to escape."

"Nobody has succeeded." Enrique said flatly. "We are dead."

"We can't give up now." Anthony said. "If we escape we can find our friends and get out of this hell hole."

Enrique said nothing and didn't look at him. "Come on Enrique, you have to help me." Anthony said and stands up. "Think with me, there must be something we can use…." He saw that Enrique did nothing and that irritates him. He had so many questions for Enrique, but he will ask them soon when they get out of this place.

Anthony gave a tug on the bars, but there was no movement to get into. He looked further into his cell. He looked at the dark figure in the corner. Anthony swallowed and picked up his courage.

He walked slowly towards it and fell forward. Anthony looked up, his chain was not long enough to reach the dark figure. Anthony swore under his breath and stretched his arm. He tried to touch the figure in the hope he could get something sharp, but he failed.

A rat saw him and tried to bite him. Anthony pulled his arm away and quickly backed away. The rat started to squeak and continued what he was doing, further eating the dead flesh.

"I told you." Enrique muttered. "It is hopeless."

"Shut up." Anthony muttered back. "How did you get caught?"

"I wasn't pay attention." Enrique said. "I hid and they found me, that's all."

Anthony nodded and looked again to the dark figure. He was sure he had something on him. Anthony makes some noise with his chain and it chased the rats away. He moved on to the figure until he could go no further. Anthony stretched out his arm.

"Come on….Come on…" Anthony whispered. He could almost touch the figure. "I almost…there…" Anthony sighed, he did not succeed. The figure was too far away to reach.

"Enrique, is there anything in your cell you can use?" Anthony asked and walk back towards bars. He saw Enrique did nothing. "Come on man, you can't give up now. Look for something."

Enrique said nothing and it makes Anthony angry. Before he could say something, he heard a heavy door open slightly. Anthony looked through his bars and saw that the prison had an endless corridors and it was lit by torches. Anthony was surprised that the floor of white marble and it was spotless. He did not expect that form a dungeon. Maybe the puppet mistress likes clean rooms.

He heard footsteps and they were coming closer. Enrique looked up. "They are coming." He said softly.

* * *

The mayor hurried through the town. He wanted to speak Jack as soon as possible.

He could not forget the words of Sheriff Grimm.

"_Take him to the castle." said Grimm. "Be sure he comes there in one piece." _

_A male mannequin lifted the unconscious Anthony in his arms. Grimm looked at the mayor. "I have a message for you from our ruler." he said. "We know you are a member of the resistance group. Say to them that it is hopeless to fight against us."_

"_How did you know?" the mayor asked surprised._

"_It doesn't matter." Grimm said. "Tell them to stop. And if you have normal people, give them to us and our ruler will reward you."_

_"I…I…"_

"_Just do it." Grimm said with angry eyes. "Or I will destroy every one of you."_

The mayor knocked on a door of a small building. The door went open and a female vampire with a pink dress stood in the door opening. "Mayor?" she asked surprised. "Can I help you?"

"The horse with a carrot came by midnight." The mayor whispered.

The vampire looked at him and nodded. "Come quick, sir." she said.

"Thank you, Bianca." the mayor said and he quickly went inside.

"Is something wrong sir?" Bianca asked and took the coat of mayor.

He nodded. "I'm afraid it is, my dear." He said and they walked further into the house.


	12. Homemade

Chapter 12: Homemade

* * *

Ian, Allison and Sally walked into the large room. They saw Jack standing on a stage and the creatures were busy talking to each other. Some were in panic. Ian, Allison and Sally pushed himself through it to be close to the stage. Something was going on.

"Please everyone!" Jack cried. "The mayor needs to talk to us! Please calm down!"

Ian saw the little mayor, he hurried over to Jack. "My friends, I have to tell you something!" And the large room became quiet. "My friends, our beloved Corvus is dead."

"Dead?" said a male werewolf surprised.

"Oh my…." said a female werewolf and she put her paw over her mouth. Everyone began to whisper and they were clearly upset.

"Who is Corvus?" Ian asked Sally.

"He was the undertaker of the graveyard." she said. "He was part of the resistance, he was very kind and helpful. Oh, I can't believe he is dead."

"How did he died?" someone shouted from the room. "Tell us!"

The mayor took a deep breath. "The mannequins got him, I was there."

Everyone was shocked and started screaming. "Those devils!" someone cried.

"Please, calm down!" Jack cried. "Calm down!"

"Sheriff Grimm ordered his dead, because he hid a normal human." The mayor said.

"What?" Ian whispered.

"Those stupid humans!" cried a female vampire. "They have ruined everything!"

"Yeah, thanks to them our ruler is crazy!" cried a werewolf. "And now our beloved Corvus is dead!" He started cursing.

"What happened to that human?" asked a zombie.

"They took the human with them." The mayor said. "He must be in the castle and there is something else. They know about us, they know about me."

He took a deep breath and went on. "Grimm wanted us to stop, otherwise we will be dead. And if he knows, our ruler knows that too."

There was a silence, nobody dared to say something.

"The existing of the resistance is no more, I cannot guarantee your safety." said the mayor. "I'm so sorry, please go home."

Jack looked at the mayor. "You can't do that. We need everyone to defeat her."

"Our of all mission has failed, Jack." The mayor said. "We lost many of our residents and friends. I don't want to lose more."

"Wait!" Ian cried and he walked closer towards stage. "I need your help finding my friend and hers." He was pointing to Allison.

The mayor and Jack were looking at him. "I'm sorry human, but you are on you own." The mayor said, he sounded cold.

"Yeah, go back were you belong!" someone cried. "You humans have done enough damage!"

Someone grabbed Ian by the shoulders and turned him around. He looked straight into the eyes of a female vampire. "They murdered my son! Only because he helped a human! Why?" she cried with tears in her eyes and she began to shake Ian violently.

Allison ran to him and freed him from the hands of the vampire. "Stop that!"

"It is all your fault. Thanks to you, our happiness is gone." The female vampire said and walked away. The creatures nodded at each other and they walked slowly to the door.

"Wait! We can't give up now!" Jack cried. "Please stay!"

"Sorry Jack." Someone said. "We are done with fighting."

"I'm sorry Jack." The mayor said and jumped of the stage. "It is over." He walked past Ian and Allison. "Do me a favor and turn yourself in or leave this world." And he walked out of the room. Within a few seconds there was silence in the hall. Only a few creatures were standing.

Ian turned and walked over to Jack. "Jack, I need your help."

Jack said nothing. He was petrified, he could not understand what had just happened. Almost everyone had left him in the lurch. But maybe mayor right, maybe it was hopeless to fight against their ruler.

"Jack!" Ian cried and Jack woke up from his mind. "Please I can't do this on my own."

Jack came off the stage and Sally walked toward him. "Are you alright, my love?" she asked.

"No." Jack said. "I can't believe what just happened."

"I know. It went so quick." Sally said. "But….it is their choice…."

"They give up." Jack said. "They just give up."

"Not all of us." Said a voice and Jack looked up. He saw Poppy the black widow walking towards them. "I will help you."

"And we too." said a voice and a vampire and a mummy walked towards them.

"Ajax...Zahur…" Jack muttered.

"And don't forget about me!" said someone with a woman's voice. Ian looked up and saw a woman in a long black dress. Her skin was light brown and hairy and her face was that of a cat. She looks like Pip, the cat of Anthony.

"Buttercup…geez…Thank you guys." Jack said and walked over towards Ian. He lays his hand on his shoulders. "Don't worry Ian, we will save your friend." Jack looked at Allison. "And of course Enrique. We must not forget him."

"Do we have a plan?" Zahur the mummy asked.

"Not yet." Jack said with a big smile and walked past Ian. "But I am open to ideas!"

"Let us arm ourselves first." Ajax the vampire said. "But will he still with us?"

"Of course he is." Sally said. "Come on, let's go." And the group walked out of the room. Ian followed them, he was curious where they went. They arrived in a big square gray room. The large illuminated by fluorescent tubes on the ceiling. Ian looked around. On the walls hung large and small pistols. He also saw swords and knives.

The must be the armory. But the floor was littered with iron parts and cardboard boxes filled with screws and gears that the room looked more like a cluttered warehouse. There was a wooden table where someone was standing behind. He wore a long white doctor's coat and had short spiky black hair. He was working on a gun put together.

"Hey, kid!" Ajax cried. "We need some guns!"

"Take whatever you want." The person muttered but he didn't look. "The guns on your right side are done." Ajax, Zahur and Poppy walked over to the right wall and took some guns.

Jack and Sally walked over to the person. "We have a little problem…" Jack said.

"How little?" the person said and looked up. He was wearing big glasses and his skin and sutures were the same as Sally. He was also a rag doll.

"Grimm and the ruler know about the resistance." Sally said. "Many of the group had left."

"All of them?" the person said in surprised. "Are you kidding me?"

"No, we are the only one." Jack said. "Even the mayor left us."

"And we wondered if you still a part of the group." Allison said.

"Of…of course I 'am." The person said. "You cannot fight without my weapons." The person saw Ian standing. "Hey! It's you, you did survive after all."

"What are you talking about?" Ian asked.

"I saw you in the forest with the spirits." The person said. "You were lucky that I was in the neighborhood."

"Were you the person who shot those things?" Ian asked and remembered the ghosts he saw in that forest. He had seen them when he had just arrived in this world.

The person nodded. "Yeah, I followed you and that other person to the town."

"You were out?" Sally said and started to get angry. "Damn it, you know it's dangerous! What did you do there?"

"Geez, I was just patrolling." the person said.

"And if you found? They still know what you did and you are still on the death list. How often must I tell you?" Sally asked.

"You're not the boss of me, Sally." The person said angrily.

"But I am the eldest and you should listen to me!" Sally said. "And don't act like a little child."

"Don't act like a mean witch." Moriarty muttered and Sally sighed.

"What is going on?" Ian asked softly to Jack and Allison.

"Ian, this is Moriarty. He is our weapon specialist. He is the one who made all of this." Jack said.

"And he is also the brother of Sally." Allison said.

"Really?" Ian asked.

"They are made by the same maker, their father you can say. So theoretically they are siblings." Jack said.

"Is their maker also here?" Ian asked.

"He was arrested and taken to our ruler, together with Moriarty." Jack said. "That was one year ago."

"But Moriarty fled and came to us." Allison said. "But he never told us what had happened to their maker. Maybe he is dead."

Ian nodded and saw that the fight between Sally and Moriarty was over. "Moriarty, thanks for saving me."

Moriarty looked at him. "You are welcome and your name is?"

"Ian."

"Well Ian, all those weapons are homemade!" Moriarty said proudly and he walked over to him. "They are all made by me!"

"That's….awesome." Ian said.

"Great! Come guys, I will give you your weapons." Moriarty said with a happy voice and walked away. Sally and Allison were following him.

Ian looked at Jack. He looked so serious, as if he was thinking about something

"What's on your mind?" Ian asked and Jack looked at him.

"If Grimm and our ruler know about us…"Jack said. "I think we have a traitor."

Ian looked at the others. Poppy was helping Zahur with a gun and Ajax was looking at the swords. He was thinking whether to take the swords. Moriarty was talking to Sally and Allison. And Buttercup was standing in by the cardboard boxes and looked at the gears.

"Do you think he or she is here?" Ian asked without looking at the skeleton man.

"I don't know." Jack muttered. "It will be coincidental."

Ian nodded. "What should we do about it?"

"I don't know." Jack said. "But we need to keep our eyes open, Ian."

"Hey, guys!" Moriarty cried. "Are you coming?"

They walked towards him. Ian thought about Jack's words. If the traitor indeed was here, he cannot trust anyone. The rescue operation may be even more difficult.

"Here you go, Ian." Moriarty said gave him a belt with two silver hand guns in it and two extra magazine whit bullets. "You know how you deal with them?"

"I think so." Ian said. He played many war games, but now he would start shooting at real targets. Some of which may still be alive. He took the belt and put it around him.

"Good and take these too." Moriarty said and gave him a dagger. "That may come in handy."

Ian took the dagger and looked at it. "Thanks." he said and he put it in his belt. He felt ready. Ready to shoot some mannequins.

"Buttercup, do you need something?" Moriarty asked.

Buttercup looked up. "No thanks, I'm good." She said with a smile. "You know I do not need weapons. I have my own tricks."

Allison rolled with her eyes. Ian got the impression that she does not like the cat woman.

"We are ready, Jack." Zahur said. "We can go anytime."

"Shall we go soon? I want action." Ajax said with a big smile.

Jack saw that Sally did a gun in her belt. He did not like that she went along. It was too dangerous and he would not endanger her. But Jack knew that she will not listen to him. She goes her own way and that's why he loves her.

"Alright!" Jack said and looked at Ian an Allison. "Ready?"

"We are." Allison said.

"Let's go then." Jack said and the group left the room.


	13. The soul sucking spirits

Chapter 13: The soul sucking spirits

* * *

The plan was simple. Ian and the others will get into the castle of the puppet mistress, save Anthony and Enrique and then get out. The vampire Ajax was not happy about that, he wanted action and destroy every mannequin.

But Jack convinced him that they were outnumbered to take the mistress out. If they rescued the two men, they will think of another plan.

The group went on a paved road through the forest. Ian recognized the road. This way, he and Anthony used to go to the town. Ian looked around and wondered if the spirits were still there.

"Are you alright?" someone said and Ian looked up. The cat lady Buttercup walked beside him. "You look anxious."

"Eh…I was here earlier attacked by ghosts ... so yeah, I'm a little anxious." Ian said.

"You should not be afraid." Buttercup said. "Then they come up to you and eat your soul."

"Excuse me?" Ian asked. "They eat your soul?"

"They suck it actually, but that's about the same." Buttercup said. "You fear attracts them. Fear is feeding them."

"Oh, great." Ian muttered.

"You are lucky that Moriarty had saved you." Buttercup said with a smile. "Otherwise you were dead."

Ian got frightened and went on to another subject. "Why do you not have weapons?" He asked.

"I have something else." The cat lady said and she snapped her right paw. There appeared a small green flame. "I've got this, I'm a witch."

"You are?" Ian asked surprised. "I thought that witches…"

Buttercup started to laugh. "Not all witches are old ladies." And Ian nodded.

"You know, I went into resistance because of my fiancé." Buttercup said. "He was slain by sheriff Grimm, because he thought we were hiding normal people."

"Oh…I'm…sorry." Ian said.

Buttercup nodded. "We were falsely accused. But that was long ago and I want to make sure that no innocent victim will die. That's something my future husband wanted."

Ian did not know what to say and noticed that Allison began to walk beside him.

Buttercup also noticed her and walked accelerated.

"Did you have a nice talk with her?" Allison asked.

"I have the feeling that you do not like her." Ian said. "Why is that?"

"Thanks to her my friend was arrested by the mannequins." Allison said. "She could have saved him with her so-called magic. But she did not and she just ran away. I did not forgive her. It was like she did it on purpose. When she was present at each mission, it failed. Since then, I don't trust her."

"Hmmm…." Ian mutters.

Allison looked at him. "What's the matter?"

"Jack thinks that there is a traitor. And maybe he or she is in this group." Ian whispered. "How did the sheriff know otherwise the resistance?"

Allison nodded. "I believe you and I think it is Buttercup."

"We don't know it for sure." Ian said. "But let's keep an eye on everyone, before we can accuse someone." Alison nodded and says nothing. The group continued to walk in silence.

Ian hoped that Anthony was still alive, otherwise he did not know how to explain it to his family, friends and his girlfriend Kalel. She will be inconsolable if she knew what happened to Anthony, if she believed him anyway. Ian was so lost in thought that he had not noticed that someone was following him.

_Where are you going? Stay with us, please?_

Ian suddenly stopped and got chills down his spine. The voices were back, the same voices he had heard before. They were close. He turned around, but he saw nothing.

"Ian?" Allison asked.

Ian turned around and saw that the group stopped walking. "Is something wrong?" Sally asked.

"Don't you guys hear them?" Ian asked. "They are everywhere!"

"Oh, lord." Zahur said. "The spirits are here."

"Let's keep moving." Jack said. "If we are out of the woods, they can't harm us."

"Oh, no!" Poppy cried. "I can hear them too!"

Sally walked over to the black widow. "Poppy, please calm down."

Buttercup looked over to Ian. "I told you that fear attract them."

"Come on, guys!" Ajax said. "Let's go!"

But before anyone could do something, Ian felt two cold hands on his shoulders. He was lifted up and pulled into the forest. It went so fast that Ian had no time to scream for help. Suddenly he came with a bang against a tree, and he gasped.

He looked up and saw a white woman standing before him. She wore a long white dress and her blood red eyes looked at Ian. He knew what was coming, but he was paralyzed with fear. The spirit grabbed his face and forced him to open his mouth.

"_No…Not…again…_" Ian thought. "_I must…I must.._" His hand slowly went for his gun. The face of the spirit came closer.

Ian felt the pistol in his hand and caught him. He founded it quickly on the spirit and fired. The spirit began to shout and disappeared. Ian began to gasp and sat down.

"Holy crap." He whispered and he slowly stood up. He looked around. Where were the others? He heard the sound of gun shots and decided to follow the sound.

Ian started walking and the sounds came closer. Suddenly, someone grabbed his foot and he fell with his face to the ground.

_Do not leave me alone. Stay with us, please?_

Ian turned his head and saw a spirit of a little boy had his foot. He turned his body around and pointed his gun at the spirit and shot. The boy screamed and disappeared.

"Hey kid!" someone cried. Ian looked up and he saw Ajax and Zahur run to him. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I think." Ian said and Ajax helped him to his feet. "Where are the others?"

"We were attacked and we lost each other." Ajax said. "Maybe they are at the edge of the forest, the spirits can't attack there."

"Why is that?" Ian asked.

"I don't know and I don't care." Ajax said.

"Come, let's go quickly then." Zahur said. "Before…"

But before they started walking, they were surrounded by the spirits. It seemed as if they were thousands of them.

"Oh lord." Ajax muttered and took his guns. "Get ready!" Zahur and Ian grabbed their guns.

The spirits began to attack. Ian shot down every spirit that he could see. Ajax and Zahur also started shooting. Ajax stepped back and fell backwards. The spirit jumped on him. Ian saw and shot the spirit. But behind him stood another and a fraction of a second he shot them too.

They found out that there were far too many. It will be a waste of bullets.

Ian remembered what told Buttercup. Fear attracts them, what if he was not afraid? Ian lowered his gun.

Ajax noticed it. "What the hell are you doing?" he cried.

A spirit came at Ian. "_I'm not afraid ... I'm not afraid .._." he repeated in his head. "_I'm stronger than that_…"

His heart was beating slowly and suddenly the spirit disappeared. But she was not the only one, all the spirits vanished. Ian sighed deeply and felt relieved. He did not hear the voices anymore. He realizes that if someone is afraid, he could only hear the voices of the spirits. As before, when Ian saw them for the first time.

Zahur gave Ian a slap on his shoulder. "That was amazing! Good job!"

"Eh…thanks…" Ian said.

Ajax also sighed with a smile on his face. "Let's go, the other waiting for us."

And the small group started to walk.


	14. The mad scientist

Chapter 14: The mad scientist

* * *

The footsteps came closer. Anthony looked at Enrique and saw the fear in his eyes. Two male mannequins were walking by. One of them opened the cell door by Enrique. He made the boy loose from his shackles.

"No ...please." Enrique said. The mannequin grabbed his arms and lifted him. Enrique tried to break away, but the second model also grabbed his arms. The boy felt the strong grip of the creatures and could not move.

The mannequins took him. Enrique looked at Anthony, but they said nothing. Moments later, he heard the door of the prison open. But they forgot to close the door. Anthony looked at the dark figure in his cell. He ventured another attempt to grab something sharp.

He stretched his arm toward the figure, within a few seconds he felt the pain in his arm. Suddenly he felt something. It was attached to the clothing of the dark figure and pulled it to him.

"Hell, yeah." Anthony whispered and saw a round white button in his hand. At the back was a sharp pin. Anthony had ever had a bet with Sohinki. He and Anthony had bet who could quickly open a lock with a safety pin. Anthony lost and treated Sohinki with a large bag of his favorite chips. It was a strange bet, but they were bored and it was fun too.

Anthony had seen Sohinki it did and he hopes that he will succeed this time. Anthony sat down and put the pin button in the lock of his shackles. Suddenly he heard screaming and Anthony looked startled. The shouting was frightening. It was Enrique, something terrible happened to him.

The adrenaline starts to rise at Anthony. When they were finished with Enrique, he was next. He hurried on with the lock. "Come on…Come on…" Anthony said. He did not know how long it took, but he heard a soft click and his chain fell off his foot.

Anthony could almost scream of joy, but he was not ready yet. There was still an obstacle and that his cell door. He walked quickly to it and put the pin in the lock. Suddenly he heard footsteps and voices. They were already done with Enrique? Anthony swore under his breath and moved the pin faster. He heard the voices coming closer. Anthony felt his heart beating in his chest.

Suddenly the voices died away and Anthony heard a soft click. His cell door was open and his pin was broken. Anthony sighed with relief and opened his door.

He ran to the door of the dungeons and he did it carefully. Anthony looked around, he was in a big dark square hall with a number of doors. The hall was illuminated by some torches and it was dead quiet. Where was everybody? He expected that there were guards.

The walls were bare and the floor was made of black brick. There was a large flight of stairs leading to the top. The steps were of black marble and arm rests were made of iron.

Anthony thought he was maybe in a castle. "This must be the great hall." He muttered and looked around. "The castle must be big, but how do I get out?"

He looked over and saw a large wooden gate. Perhaps that was the exit. He ran towards it and looked for a doorknob or something where he could go out. There was nothing, maybe it can only be accessed via the outer side.

"Alright, what now?" Anthony asked.

"Come quick, let's get that other human." said a voice and a door slowly opens. Anthony turned startled and heard footsteps. He looked around, looking for something where he could hide. Anthony saw a lone barrel in the corner and rushed towards it.

He went hid behind, just in time before two creatures came walking. The creatures resembled the sheriff. They were also so green and slimy. Anthony looked slowly up, the open door was right next to the stairs. Where would that lead to?

The two creatures walked towards the door of the dungeons. "What idiot has left the door open?" asked one of the creatures.

"What I don't understand, why must we get that swine?" asked the other. "This is the job of those weird puppets."

"I know, but orders are orders." said the other one.

Ulrich nodded and the other creature walked into dungeons. Then he started to curse. "What is wrong Brix?"

Brix came out the dungeons and looked angry. "The human is gone! Warn all guards, I go directly to the sheriff!"

"Eh…eh…understood!" Ulrich said and rushed towards another door. Brix ran upstairs.

Anthony stood up slowly. "_What should I do? I do not know this place_." Anthony thought. He looked at the open door next to the stairs. Anthony walked towards the door. When he once stood in the doorway he saw a small staircase leading down.

He felt a cold wind, and he could smell the air. Anthony heard the voices of the guards and walked quickly inside. He closed the door behind him and walked down the staircase, until he felt the paved ground beneath his feet.

Anthony turned around and saw a long hallway. It was lit by many oil lamps hanging from the ceiling. The walls were light brown brick and he saw many black doors. It was ice cold and it smelled strongly of mold.

Anthony walked down the corridor and suddenly saw a large red stain on the wall. "_Is that blood?_" He thought and he wondered what was behind these doors. Anthony made one door open and smelled a horrible smell. It was a square white room with a bright white light. Anthony was shocked.

He saw four female vampires, they were tied to their hands and they hung on the ceiling. They were naked and they were bleeding profusely from their chest and their belly. Their hearts were gone and the intestines were hanging out. At one vampire the eyes were cut out and she was bleeding from her mouth.

Suddenly she began to move violently. Anthony fought against the urge to scream and recoiled. The vampire started screaming and there was more blood from her mouth. She shouted words that were unintelligible. To Anthony's horror, he saw why. Her tongue was cut out. The vampire stopped moving and hung motionless.

Anthony began panting and trembling in his legs. These were torture chambers, he had to leave this place. He quickly closed the door.

"Well, well…." A voice said. Anthony turned around and saw Sheriff Grimm standing. Anthony looked at him with frightened eyes. He was so focused on the mutilated bodies that he had not heard him coming.

"Do not bother, the guards stand at the entrance. You cannot escape." Grimm said with a big smile. "But it is very nice of you that you came on you own, save us hard work."

Anthony's heart was pounding wild and he heard footsteps behind him. He turned and saw two male mannequins. Anthony recognized one of them. "Enrique…no…no way." He had no shirt on and there was a large wound on his chest. It was attached with large black sutures.

"Shall we go? The doctor is waiting." said Grimm. "And he hates waiting, believe me."

Anthony suddenly felt a sharp pain in his neck. His body started to become numb and he fell to the ground. The paved ground hurt his face and he felt his nose was bleeding. "What did…you…do?"

Anthony watched with one eye up and saw Grimm above him. "Pressure point." He muttered. "Nothing special, take him."

The two mannequins grabbed him by each arm and lifted him up. They dragged him toward another door. They arrived in a large room, it was completely tiled with white stones. Anthony saw a large wooden table, with leather straps. He was lifted up and placed on it. The mannequins tied his arms and legs with the straps.

Anthony could not move and could only stare at the white ceiling. He saw blood spatters. He heard that the mannequins left the room and it became quit in the room.

He was able to move his head and looked around the room. Anthony saw cabinets stand with tools that he had only seen in horror movies. There were also all sorts vials filled with a gray substance.

The feeling returned to his arms and legs. He tried to break free, but the straps were too tight. "Dammit." He said.

The door opened and Anthony heard a cracking sound. He turned his head and saw that someone came in a wheelchair, wearing a white lab coat. It was a male who was very pale. His mouth looked like a duckbill. Anthony saw that he had a seam around his head. Could he do open his head? The creature was followed by one female mannequin.

"Looks like you are next." The creature said and he drove with his motorized wheelchair towards the cabinets. "When I'm done with you, I take a long break."

"Who…who are you?" Anthony asked.

The creature opened the closet door. The mannequin came over with a moving table. The creature put some stuff on the table. But the creature did not answer Anthony's question.

"Who are you?' Anthony asked again. "What are you going to do with me?"

The creature turned his wheelchair and moved towards Anthony. "I'm doctor Finkelstein and I am the one who is going to change you into a beautiful mannequin."

He stood up and held on to the table. When he found his balance, he looked at the mannequin. "Remove his upper clothing."

The mannequin walked to Anthony and grabbed his jacket. In a split second, she tore it in two. She was so strong that every garment from Anthony was broken. She tore away everything, so Anthony's entire upper body was visible.

Finkelstein took a large hypodermic needle and put it in the vial. He sucked the gray substance into the hypodermic needle. When he was finished he put it back on the table. Anthony saw that he took a sharp knife.

"Let's start with cutting out your heart." Finkelstein said. "Sit still and try not to scream."

"No...Please…" Anthony begged. "Please don't…." Suddenly she heard a loud bang and the room started to shake.

"What was that?" Finkelstein asked.

"Doctor!" someone rushed into the room. It was a werewolf who was wearing a white lab coat. "They think we are under attack, they need your help!"

"Yeah, yeah." Finkelstein grumbled and he picked up the hypodermic needle. Without warning, he put the needle into Anthony's leg. He felt a burning pain through his leg. When the creature was finished, he put the needle back on the table.

He looked at Anthony. "I will be back for you." and he sat back in his wheelchair. "Finkelstein drove his wheelchair out of the room, followed by the mannequin.

Anthony was left alone. The pain in his leg started to become unbearable. It felt as if his leg was on fire. He felt the pain went up slowly. What was that for weird stuff in that syringe?

Anthony began panting and trying to break away. With every movement the pain got worse. He wanted to scream.

"_Ian…Ian where are you?_" Anthony thought and his eyes slowly closed. "_I need….you…_"


	15. The portal of Neerim

Chapter 15: The portal of Neerim

* * *

Ian, Ajax and Zahur came out of the woods. They stood on a lawn and Ian heard the wet grass sop beneath his feet. They saw the others standing. Allison walked toward Ian. "I'm glad you are alive." She said. "Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine." Ian said and looked at the others. "You guys too?"

"Yes, we fine." Jack said and pointed with is hand towards a hill. "Behind that hill lies the castle of the puppet mistress." Ian followed his gaze and he saw a small hill.

"Let's go, before it's too late for Enrique and Ian's friend." Poppy said. "Do we even plan when we get there?"

Everyone looked at Jack. "Of course I have….I think…" He said.

"You think?" Buttercup asked. "Does that mean you don't have plan?"

"I have, just listen." Jack said. "Moriarty, do you have the ingredients to make bombs?"

"Yes, but I have enough for three or maybe five." Moriarty said and touched his leather bag around his middle.

"That's enough, they should serve as a distraction." Jack said. "You know the way into to castle right? Then Ajax and Zahur you are the distraction team, when the guards come you can take care of them."

"That's fine with me." Ajax said and Zahur nodded.

"Maybe I can help them." Poppy said. "Two men are not enough, Jack."

Jack nodded and turned to Sally. "Maybe you must help them too, otherwise we go with too many men inside."

Jack looked at Ian, Allison, Buttercup and Moriarty. Sally understands why he needs them. Moriarty knows every inch of the castle and Buttercup could use her magic. It will come in handy. Allison and Ian will free their friends. She did not want abandon him.

"I will not leave you." Sally said and she laid her one hand on her belly. "What if something happened?"

"I will be fine." Jack said. "I will come back in one piece, I promise."

Sally sighed deeply. "Okay, I will help them."

And the group decided to go further. Ian looked around, the grass field seemed endless. He felt an icy wind and began to tremble. Ian noticed that nobody else was suffering from the cold. Maybe there are used to it.

"Is something bothering you?" someone said.

Ian looked aside and saw that Moriarty walked beside him. "The cold bothers me." He said.

"Around this time of the year it's always cold here." Moriarty said with a faint smile. "Is it in your world cold too around Halloween?"

"Yes, but less cold than here." Ian said. "Say, do you know a way out of this world?"

Moriarty thought. "Let me think." He said. "Oh yeah, the portal of Neerim."

"The portal of whom?" Ian asked.

"When the first humans arrived in this world, a sorcerer discovered a portal where people came through. This sorcerer named Neerim." Moriarty said. "He studied the portal and found that the portal had its own mind."

"What do you mean by that?" Ian asked.

"The portal appears wherever he wants." Moriarty said. "One time it appears in the town and the one time in the woods."

"Maybe that's the reason why Anthony and I were separate when we just arrived here." Ian said.

"That is possible." Moriarty said.

"But how can we find it?" Ian asked. "If you say the portal has a mind of his own, he could be anywhere."

"And there is one other problem for you guys." Moriarty said.

"And that is?"

"The gate is open only on Halloween. When it is twelve o'clock at night, the portal closes." Moriarty said. "And then he will open next year on Halloween."

Ian looked worried. That's mean he and Anthony will be stuck for a whole year in this world. Just like Allison and her friends. They have to go to the castle quickly, save their friends and find this portal. The portal was the only way out. And how much time had he left? Since he entered in this world, he had no sense of time.

"How does the portal look like?" Ian asked.

"I'm sorry, I don't know." Moriarty said.

"I've seen it before, the portal is clear and gives white light." Sally said. "Last year, it was outside the town."

Ian looked at Allison. Why did she not escape before with the others? She could be safe at home with her family. Then they knew that Allison was still alive. Before Ian could ask another question, Jack cried: "Over there!"

They stood on the top of the hill and they saw a big black castle. It had four large towers and a moat was built. The square windows gave light, so it seemed habitable. Ian heard the cawing of crows, it made him uncomfortable. Without saying a word to each other, the group walked towards the castle.


	16. The traitor

Chapter 16: The traitor

* * *

Ajax, Zahur, Poppy and Sally were behind the bushes. The vampire opens his hands. In his hands were five round balls. It were the bombs Moriarty quickly had made. He only had to throw them and they would explode. Sally looked at him with worried eyes. Moriarty had said the bombs were powerful and dangerous. What if Jack got hit by such a bomb? What if the others got injured?

She felt something soft on her shoulder. She turned her head and saw that Poppy had placed one of her legs on her shoulder. "Are you okay, Sally?" she asked.

"Eh…yeah." Sally said and Poppy took her leg of her shoulder. "I'm fine...it's just…" She looked at her belly.

Poppy looked at her with big eyes. "Oh dear….are you…"

"Guys, it's time." Zahur said. "We gave them enough time."

"We have to give him 10 minutes." Sally said. "Jack told us that after they left us."

"Sorry, sweetheart." Ajax said and gave a few bombs to Zahur. "But the time is over." And Ajax throws one of the bombs.

* * *

"There, that is our entrance!" Moriarty said and he was pointing down. He pointed to a deep pool of water with a large sewer pipe, which led in the walls of the castle.

"That leads us directly to the dungeons." He looked at Ian. "Your friends should be there."

"Excellent!" Jack said and walked towards the sewer pipe.

"Is it big enough for us all?" Allison asked.

Moriarty nodded. "This was my escape route. This place is barely guarded by her guards." Suddenly they heard an explosion and ground was shaking.

"That's our cue." Jack said. "Let's go guys."

Ian got into the freezing water. It came down to his knees and began to shiver. The other also stepped into the water and walked quickly towards the pipe. Ian saw Jack climbed into the sewer pipe. He climbed with difficulty in the pipe. Ian immediately smells the smell of rotten flesh. He fought against the urge to vomit. Jack helped him to his feet. Ian could stand upright in the pipe, he felt like a ninja turtle.

"I hate this." Buttercup muttered when she climbed smoothly into the pipe. "I hate being wet."

"This is the only save way." Moriarty said and followed. After Allison was in the pipe, they heard another explosion. "Okay, follow me." And Moriarty led the way.

"Are you okay?" Ian asked Allison.

"I'm fine." She said. "Why do you ask?"

"You don't look so good." Ian said. "You look like you need to vomit."

"So do you." Allison said with a faint smile. "I don't like this. Not because the smell, I can live with that. It's because of the rats."

"Rats?"

"I hate them." Allison said. "I was once bitten by a sewer rat when I was little. Since then I am afraid of them. Does it sound stupid?"

"No, not at all." Ian said. "I'm scared of bees."

"Are you allergic?" Allison asked, but before Ian could answer, a rat was passing by. She started screaming. Everyone was shocked by her and stopped walking.

"Oh, for goodness sake." Buttercup said and she grabbed the rat by the tail. "It is just a tiny rat." She opened her mouth open and ate the rat. When she was finished she looked Allison with a big smile. "Happy?"

"That was disgusting." Allison said with an angry voice.

"Shall we continue?" Jack asked. "We don't have time for this." And the group walked further.

"I do not know if I'm allergic." Ian answered to Allison's question. And she nodded.

"Eh…Allison…" Ian said. "According to Sally, the portal was so close to the town last year. Why didn't you guys leave earlier?"

Allison remained silent and thought about the answer. "Because we wanted to save Crystal and Heather. After that fails, we were too late to go through the portal."

"I see." Ian said.

"If we find Enrique and Anthony, we will definitely go with you." Allison said. "We have been in this world too long."

* * *

Ajax threw a bomb and hit a lookout tower. Guards raised the alarm and investigated where it came from. "They do not even know where to look." Ajax said with a laugh.

"How many bombs you have left?" Zahur asked.

"Two." Ajax said and looked up. "I think we should prepare ourselves for the fight, I see guards heading this way."

"Argh!" Sally suddenly said and felt down to the ground. Zahur felt a burning pain in his back and fell unconscious.

"What's going on?" Ajax said and turned around. Someone stabbed him with an unknown object, he felt a burning pain and his body was numb. The vampire began to blurred vision, so he could not see his attacker. He fell to the ground, with the bombs still in his hand and heard footsteps.

"_What's going on?_" said a heavy voice of a guard. "_Who are you?_"

"_I work for your boss and don't worry about them._" The other voice said. "_My poison will do the job. You can leave them here._" Ajax recognized the voice, but he could not speak. And the vampire closed his eyes.

* * *

Moriarty began to walk faster. "There it is!" The group arrived at a hatch made of stone. Moriarty carefully opened the hatch and was nearly blinded by the light.

He stuck his head up. "The safe, I see no guards."

They climbed slowly out of the hatch. Ian looked around, they arrived in the dungeons. He immediately went searching. "Anthony?" He cried. "Are you here?Anthony!"

"Enrique? Please answer me!" Allison cried. But no one answers, it remains silence.

Jack and Buttercup checked all the prison cells.

"The cells are empty, all of them." Jack said.

"I don't understand." Ian said and the panic started to rise. "They should be here."

"I'm sorry, Ian." Buttercup said. "I think we are too late."

"No, it can't be." Ian said and looked at Moriarty. "Please tell me there is another dungeon."

Moriarty shook his head and Ian started cursing. They were too late indeed, his best friend was carried away and turned into a puppet. What can he do about it? All these thoughts came to him, it gave him a headache. Allison felt tears in her eyes. She had hoped that Enrique would be alive.

"Maybe there's hope." Moriarty said. "We can look…."

Suddenly the door of the dungeons flew open. Someone threw something at Ian. He felt he was tied up and fell to the ground. It all happened so fast. "What?" he asked surprised.

Allison and the others were quickly tied up and fell to the ground. Ian looked at the rope. It was white and it was sticky. It looked like cobwebs.

"You are not going anywhere." said a voice. Everyone looked up and the person walked into the dungeons, followed by four guards. The guards wore thick armor and they had no heads.

Jack looked shocked. "You…what are you…"

Poppy walked towards them. "You sounded surprised."

"I had the feeling that we had a traitor." Jack said and was trying to break loose. "But I never thought it was you."

"You are a traitor?" Allison asked. "Why?"

"I had to do this." Poppy said. "Our ruler..."

"She attacks her own kind and murdered them!" Jack said. "They were innocent, just like the humans."

"I don't care about the humans." Poppy said. "They ruined everything, If they were not there, our ruler was still happy."

"That's why you have betrayed us?" Buttercup asked.

"No, I have my own reasons and I'm not going to share with you." Poppy said.

"Please Poppy." Allison said. "Whatever your reasons are, maybe we can help you."

Poppy ignored her. Two guards came to Ian and Allison. She picked them up and threw them in a cell. The other guards did Jack and the others in the cell.

"You're not getting away with this!" Buttercup cried.

"Shut your mouth, fur ball." Poppy said and looked at Jack. "I'm so sorry about your wife, I really liked her."

"Sally?" Jack asked. "What did you do her?"

Poppy walked away. "What have you done to my wife?" Jack cried and the spider hit the door with a bang.

Poppy walked across the square hall in the castle. She saw Sheriff Grimm standing with two of his own man. Also she saw doctor Finkelstein, he was talking to the sheriff. "I am called away from my work." Finkelstein said. "I hope you have a good reason, sheriff."

Grimm heard Poppy coming and turned around. "Where are the fighters of the resistance?"

"A few are lying outside, because of my poison they will not survive." Poppy said. "The others are locked up in the dungeons, with one of the leaders." She looked at the doctor. "There are also two humans."

"Two? That's good." Finkelstein said.

"And now for my reward, sheriff." Poppy said. "We had a deal."

"I know." Grimm said with a smile. "Our deal."

"Don't trick me, where is my husband?" Poppy asked. "And my oldest children?"

"Relax, sweetie." Grimm said. "I'm a man of my word. You've done an excellent job, your husband and your children are there."

He pointed to a door and it opened. Something fell out, it appeared to be the body of a large spider. Poppy ran towards it. Once at the body, she started screaming. It was the dead body of her beloved husband.

She looked behind him. In the room where the door led to, she saw nine bodies of her oldest children. They were dead, all her work to get them back, had been for nothing.

"You gave me your word!" Poppy cried with tears in her eyes. "If I did my job, I'll get them back!"

"I told you could get them back." Grimm said and walked towards her. "And now you can joy them." He grabbed a dagger and stabbed the big spider down. Poppy fell down and lay still. Grimm took his dagger from her body. He looked at his men. "Remove these bodies, they begin to stink."

* * *

Sally was slowly waking up. She felt a sharp and burning pain in her back. "What just…" Sally stood up slowly and the pain got worse. She saw the bodies of Ajax and Zahur, luckily there were still breathing.

Sally looked around, there were no guards. They have them left for dead. She walked over to them. She saw a great wound on Ajax's belly. Sally recognized it; it was a bit of a spider. This was Poppy's work, she betrayed them. But her poison is deadly, how can they still alive?

But she had no time to think about it. She had to heal the wounds, so that the poison did not spread further. Sally looked quickly around. She saw little black flowers in the bushes. "That's it!" she whispered and plucked them as much as they could carry.

She knew that these flowers had healing powers; they were to known to cure any poison. She had to mix it with mud. But Sally must hurry, otherwise she will die.

Luckily she found a mud puddle and put the flowers in it. She was mixing the flowers in the mud puddle.

When she was finished, she picked up a handful of mud and put it on her back where the wound was. Sally felt good, the burning sensation disappeared immediately. The sharp pain will continue for another few days, but she could live with it. At least the poison was gone.

She put some mud on the wounds of Ajax and Zahur. The mummy woke up and stood up slowly. "What just happened?" He muttered.

"It was spider poison." Sally said. Zahur turned around and looked at her. "I think Poppy betrayed us."

"She did?" Zahur said. "I…don't believe that."

"We have no time to argue about that." Sally said. "Help me with Ajax."

"What about Jack and the others?" Zahur asked and lifted Ajax by his arms.

Sally looked at the castle. "We must think of our safety that would Jack say." She said. "At this moment we can do nothing for him."

"Wait." Zahur and laid Ajax down. "He had some bombs left in his hands."

Sally saw them and took them. Without thinking, Sally threw them towards the castle. There was a big explosion and there was a big hole in the castle wall. "_I hope it helped._" Sally thought. She took Ajax to his feet and with Zahur they brought him to safety.


	17. Sacrifice

Chapter 17: Sacrifice

* * *

Buttercup got the cobwebs rope to within a few seconds, burned it away. She lifted her hands to Moriarty and Jack their ropes burn right away.

"Let's hurry." Buttercup said and rushed towards the bars. She turned her hands to the bars and there were blown out. She runs towards Ian and Allison's cell and she blown out their bars.

"Hang on." Buttercup said and burned the ropes. She helped Allison on her feet. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah…thank you." Allison said. "I'm sorry, I thought you were the traitor."

"It's alright."

"Nice work, Buttercup." Moriarty said and looked at Ian. "I know where can find you friends. Perhaps they are in the laboratories, where they make them. "

Ian nodded. "Lead the way."

"Yes, the sooner we do this, the sooner I get back to Sally." Jack said. They walked to the door and Jack did it carefully open it.

Jack watched carefully. He saw that Grimm pulled a dagger from a dead body. The sheriff looked at his men. "Remove these bodies, they begin to stink."

His men ran to him and started to clean up the bodies. Grimm sighed and left the place. Jack looked closely at the bodies and was shocked. He recognized the body of Poppy. But who was that other body? Was she trying to save him? Maybe that was her reason to betray them.

Moriarty looked over his shoulder. "Is that Poppy?"

Jack nodded and sighed, there was no time to mourn her death. "Where should we go, Moriarty?"

"Eh…That way." Moriarty said pointed at the door that was right next to the stairs. "But there are probably many mannequins. They can attack us."

Jack looked at Buttercup. "Do you have some magic left?"

She nodded. "I have plenty. Do have you a plan?"

"We are the attack group. We attack every mannequin or creature that comes to us." Jack said and looked at Moriarty. "You lead Ian and Allison and try to rescue their friends and .." He looked at Ian and Allison. "If you got your friends, get out. Find the portal and leave this world."

"But…" Allison said.

"We don't argue about this." Jack said. "You must leave, after you find your friends. We can handle this."

"But we must do it quick." Buttercup said.

"Agreed." Ian said and looked at Moriarty. "Let's do it."

They ran towards the door. One of the men heard them and turned around. "Hey you!" Buttercup turned to her hand to them and the two men were blown away.

Moriarty put his hand on the doorknob. "Where are you going?" a voice asked. The group looked up and they saw Sheriff Grimm. "Oh hello Jack, that was long ago." he said. "When I saw you last?"

"We are in a hurry Grimm, so if you do not mind." Jack said.

Buttercup turned her hand towards Grimm, but nothing happens. "What?" she said surprised.

"Your magic doesn't work?" Allison asked.

"You guys sound surprised." Grimm said. He pulled out an object appear. It looked like a big silver necklace with a cross. "You know darling, pure silver blocked any kind of magic. Guards!"

Buttercup swore under her breath. Ian grabbed his gun and shoot Grimm. The bullet entered his shoulder. The sheriff screamed in pain and fell to the ground. Moriarty quickly opened the door and the group ran downstairs. Jack quickly closed the door.

Suddenly they heard footsteps and saw the mannequins. They had already heard Grimm's cries.

A few turned their hands toward the group. Ian saw that long wires came out of their fingers. They began waving their arms. Ian was pushed to the ground by Allison. "Their wires are very sharp, they can take your head off." She said quickly.

"There are too many of them, Jack." Moriarty said. "I don't think we…."

"We stick to the plan." Jack said and looked at Buttercup. In her hands appeared a green flame and threw it at the mannequins. There appeared a wall of fire.

They were surprised and started to wave their arms. Because of the confusion they hit each other.

"Now!" Buttercup cried. "Go!"

Moriarty looked at Ian and Allison. "Okay, follow me!" They ran after him. But suddenly Allison was grabbed by a mannequin. Ian saw and pointed his gun at the mannequin. He shot had liberated him in the face.

The mannequin stumbled backwards and felt on the ground. He broke into million pieces. Allison ran to Ian and took him by the hand. Together they ran after Moriarty.

She heard the footsteps of the mannequins, they came after them.

Allison stopped running and turned around. She grabbed her gun and she shoots the mannequins in their heads. Ian also stopped running and wants to shoot. But he had no more bullets, not even in his second pistol. He had used too many against the soul sucking spirits.

"Go, we will hold them up!" Allison cried.

Moriarty also shot with his gun. "We'll be right behind you!"

Ian nodded and run further into the hallway. The corridor seemed endless. With those doors, it looked like the home of the resistance. "Anthony!" Ian cried. "Are you here? Anthony!" He stopped running and looked around. "Anthony! Answer me!"

* * *

Anthony woke up. He quickly looked around and noticed that he was still stuck at the table. The scientist had not returned, but he heard gun shots. Who fired it? And he could swear that someone called him.

"Anthony! Where are you?"

He recognized the voice. "Ian?" He asked. "Ian, I' am here!" The door flew open and his best friend ran inside.

"Thank god, you are still alive." Ian said and walked towards them.

Anthony looked up. "Ian, behind you!"

Ian turned around and saw a female mannequin. She waved with her arms and Ian ducked to avoid the sharp wires. Before the mannequin could do anything, she was shot to pieces. Allison came into the room, with Moriarty.

"Thanks." Ian said. He stood up and walked directly over to Anthony. He grabbed his dagger and cut his friend loose.

"Do you have seen another boy?" Allison asked Anthony. "His name is Enrique."

Ian helped Anthony sit upright. "Yes, but he is one of them." Anthony said. "I'm so sorry." Allison said nothing.

Moriarty ran inside. "We have to hurry!" Anthony tries to stand, but there was a stab of pain through his body and cried out.

"Are you alright?" Ian asked.

"It is my leg." Anthony said. "That scientist has done something…"

Moriarty walked over to him and knelt at Anthony's legs. He lifted Anthony's trouser leg. He was shocked, the leg was turning white.

"You must go." He said. "Your friend is turning into a puppet."

"What?" Anthony and Ian looked too.

"What did they do?" Ian asked.

"To create a mannequin, they inject wax in your blood, which gives them the white color and you will obey her. But you will be fragile as porcelain." Moriarty said. "I assume that they had no time to cut out your heart. Otherwise, we could not save you."

Anthony nodded. Moriarty stood up. "If you go through the portal, you will turn into normal."

Ian helped Anthony with stand and let him lean against him and put his arm around his shoulder. "Are you sure?" Ian asked.

"Yes, I'm sure." Moriarty said. "But you have to hurry." They walked out of the room. Moriarty pointed to the left. "Walk straight until you come to a white door. That's your exit."

They heard footsteps and Moriarty grabbed his gun. "They are coming." He said and looked at Ian en Allison. "Good luck."

Ian nodded and Moriarty walked to the right hallway. "Okay, let's go." Ian said and started to walk to the left. Suddenly they heard a strange sound.

Allison felt a wire twisted around her legs. She fell to the ground. She turned her head and saw a mannequin. She turned her gun towards the mannequin she shot it.

"There they are!" someone cried.

"The guards." Allison said and stood up.

The small group walked as fast as he could toward the white door. The voices of the men came closer and closer. Allison saw the door and opened it. They felt the cold air in their faces.

"Oh, god." Ian said and looked down. They stood on the top of a steep slide, made from an open sewer pipe. Was this their exit?

"Look!" Allison said and pointed at a hill. On the hill they saw the portal, it gave white bright light, just like Sally said.

"Get them!" said someone. The guards came to them. Allison turned around and grabbed her gun. She started shooting. Ian let Anthony go first down the slide.

He turned to Allison and saw she had already shot two guards. But they kept coming. "Allison, you go first." He said.

"No, you go first. I will be right behind you." Allison said and kept shooting until her gun was empty. The ground began to shake and she heard a loud explosion. Ian lost his balance and fell backwards, down the slide.

Within seconds he was down. He felt his heart beating in his throat. He had never gone off a steep slide. And that he would not go through that again. Ian saw that Anthony was still on the ground and helped him to his feet.

Anthony started to moan when he stood up. "Hang in there." Ian said, and looked up. Allison wanted to go down the slide. But someone grabbed her and she disappeared into the darkness.

"No, Allison!" Ian cried. A few guards looked down and saw him.

Ian did not hesitate and started walking. At each step was Anthony pain in his legs. He felt that the wax crept up. The two men walked towards the portal, it seemed so far away.

Ian heard the guards behind him and they started to get closer. "Come on Anthony, we're almost there."

One of the guards drew his bow and arrow, he started shooting. Ian suddenly cried out and they fell to the ground. Ian turned his head and saw that there was an arrow in his left calf. He felt the warm blood flowing.

"What is happening?" Anthony asked and tried to stand.

"Argh…it's nothing…..it's nothing…" Ian said. "It is just an arrow." He took out the arrow out of his leg and cried out in pain.

"What do you mean? Are you alright?" Anthony asked. Ian ignored his question and quickly stood up and helped Anthony on his feet.

"Come on, dude." Ian said and tried ignored the pain in his leg. "We are almost there. We are almost home." He heard the guards coming closer. If they are caught, it's all over. They stumbled towards the portal. Every step they resisted, the pain grew.

"There!" Ian said and they saw the gate for him. His bright light almost blinded them. But Ian was shocked when he looked. The portal was shrinking. It was too small for them both. Ian thought fast and turned Anthony, so that the portal was behind him. He holds him by his shoulders.

"What are you doing?" Anthony asked.

"The portal is shrinking, we can't go both." Ian said. "You must go."

"What? No!" Anthony said and grabbed his friend by his wrist. "I'm already changing into one of those creatures."

"If you go, you will turn into normal." Ian said. "You will be safe."

"No, I'm not leaving you here!" Anthony said and held on tightly to Ian's wrists. "Not in this hell hole! You go!"

Ian turned his head and saw the guards running towards him. "There is no time to argue." Ian said and turned his head back to Anthony. His best friend looked at him with big eyes.

"I'm sorry, man." Ian said. "You must go!" and he pushed Anthony hard towards the portal. Anthony fell backward into the portal. When he fell into it, the portal disappeared.

* * *

Buttercup fired a green fireball to a mannequin. "Jack, that kid was right." she said. "There are too many of them."

Jack hit a mannequin down with a dagger and it fell apart. "Guards! They are in the laboratory! Get them!" someone shouted. Jack turned around and saw the guards coming down the stairs.

"Grimm." Jack muttered with anger and turned back. The mannequins were gone. "Where are they going?"

"I don't know. They just walked away." Buttercup said and turned towards the guards. "We can't win this, we have to go."

"How?" Jack asked.

"Stop in the name of our ruler!" One of the guards said and they surrounded them. "Surrender yourself!"

"We have a big problem." Jack said and saw that a group of guards walking straight, down the hallway.

"Jack? Is that you?" someone asked. Jack and Buttercup looked up and heard the crackle of a wheelchair. Two guards stepped aside. Doctor Finkelstein came forward.

"You." Jack said surprised. "Everyone thought you were dead."

"Well I' am still alive." Finkelstein said.

"And now you are doing the dirty work of our ruler." Jack said. "Making those horrible puppets."

"At least my work is appreciated. You never understood my work." Finkelstein said. "Even Sally and Moriarty did not understand. How is she? My Sally?"

"She is fine." Jack said. "Moriarty is fine too."

"Moriarty was my pride, someone who could take over my work." Finkelstein said. "It just a shame he left me."

Suddenly they heard an explosion and ground was shaking. The guards were surprised and looked around wildly. Jack grabbed Buttercup her arm. They started to run. Buttercup turned her hand to the guards and they were blown away. They kept on running until they saw Moriarty, he just shot a guard.

"Jack, Buttercup. Do have a plan to get out?" He asked. "I hope you do."

"Did Allison and Ian find their friends?" Jack asked quickly.

"Yes, one was still alive." Moriarty said. "And I sent them to the exit. And I think we should go there too."

They looked to their side and saw the guards were coming, but there were also coming from the other side.

"Where do they come from?" Moriarty asked.

"I don't know and I don't care." Jack said. "I hope Allison and Ian have escaped."

"The guards are closing in on us." Buttercup said. "Grab my hands! Both of you!"

Jack and Moriarty grabbed her hands. "What are you planning?" Jack asked. But before anyone could say anything, they saw that beneath their feet a purple cloud. The cloud came up and the world was changing around them.

Buttercup heard someone screaming and she looked up. She saw that a guard got Allison. She was trying to free herself. In a split second, Buttercup met her gaze. But it was too late, the group disappeared.


	18. On the other side

Chapter 18: On the other side

* * *

The purple smoke disappeared and Jack looked around. They were back outside, behind some large bushes. Hopefully the guards did not see them.

"Buttercup…what did you do?" Jack asked and looked at Buttercup. He could see that the cat lady was exhausted.

"Jack!" someone cried. Jack turned his head around and saw his wife standing. Jack let Buttercup and ran toward her. He hugged her tightly.

"Easy Jack…think of our child." Sally said with a smile and Jack was letting her go.

"I'm sorry, but I thought you were dead." Jack said. "Because of Poppy and…"

"She betrayed us." Moriarty said and hugged Sally.

"But why?" Zahur asked and walked towards them.

"I think because of her husband and children." Jack said. "We saw their bodies."

Moriarty let Sally go. "Poppy is dead." Sally nodded but said nothing. She had seen it coming, Grimm made all kinds of promises, but it always ended in death.

"Where is Ajax?" Jack asked.

"He is unconscious, but still alive." Zahur said and he saw Buttercup fell to the ground. Jack turned around and rushed towards her.

"Buttercup, are you alright?" Jack asked with a worry voice. He put one arm behind her back and let her sit upright. Buttercup looked at him with watery eyes. "What's wrong?"

"I used magic to teleport us out of the castle." Buttercup said softly. "But it was too much…."

"Why did you do that?" Jack asked. "You know what happens when you do that, you will die…"

"I had too, otherwise you guys did not survive." Buttercup said and started coughing. "I know you have a baby ... A child needs a father, Jack."

"Buttercup…I…."

Buttercup slowly closed her eyes. "I can finally go to my fiance ..."

Jack nodded with a smile. "Go to him…..and thank you…." And the cat lady blew her last breath.

Sally lays her hand on his shoulder. "We need to give her a proper burial."

Jack looked at the lifeless Buttercup. She sacrifice her own life to save them even she knew the risk. "You are right….." He said.

"Did Allison and that boy get away?" Zahur asked.

"Yeah, I send them to the exit." Moriarty said. "I hope they have gone through the portal."

Jack lifted Buttercup. "Come on, let's go before they come looking for us."

"So what's the next plan?" Moriarty asked.

"I don't know." Jack said. "I really do not know." And the group left in silence. They went back home.

* * *

Anthony fell on his back on the ground. He looked up and saw that the door in the shape of a pumpkin closed.

"No…No!" Anthony said and stood up. He tried to open the door, but he was shut tight. Anthony started banging on the door. "Ian! No…no!"

The door began to disappear. Anthony put his hands on the tree trunk. "No…this can't be…Ian….no..." he whispered. He saw that the tree was lit up and he turned around. Anthony saw the sun came up, it was morning.

Anthony looked around, he was back in the trees that were in a perfect circle. Anthony saw that the other doors also disappeared.

He was back his world. But he was alone, his best friend was stuck in the other world. And he had no idea how to help him. Anthony did his trouser leg up. He saw that his leg had normal color. He was indeed back to normal.

Anthony had no idea what time it was and had no idea where to go. Anthony felt that his thoughts were empty and he started to walk towards the woods. Anthony kept walking in the woods, until he came to a highway. He had no idea which way to go.

He saw nowhere signs. Suddenly he heard the sound of a car. Anthony stood in the middle of the road, hoping to stop the car.

* * *

A/N : Sorry for the short chapter, I will make the next chapter longer.

Thanks for the many reviews! I appreciate it very much!


	19. The puppet mistress

Chapter 19: The puppet mistress

* * *

Ian lowered himself to his knees. The portal was gone and he knew that Anthony was safe. But Ian was not. Before he knew it, Ian was grabbed by his arms and lifted.

"We have him, report it to the sheriff!" said one of the guards. A smaller guard quickly ran as he could toward the castle. The other guards took Ian to the castle. He tried to resist, but with every movement, the guards held him tighter. It seemed an eternity before they were at the castle.

When they arrived in the main hall, Ian saw the sheriff walked towards him. Without a warning, Grimm hit him hard in the stomach. Ian gasped began to cough.

"That's for shooting me, do you know how long it takes before it has healed?" He said and looked at the guards. "Where is the other boy?"

"He was the only one, sir." One of the guards said. "This was one was sitting on the ground."

"Is that so?" Grimm said and grabbed Ian by the collar of his jacket. He forced Ian to look at him. "Where is the other one? Where is your friend?"

Ian said nothing and Grimm hit him in the face. "Take him to the dungeons."

The guards quickly took them to the dungeons. They put him in a cell and tied his hands to a chain. When the guards left his cell, Ian sat down. He saw that his wound still bleeding. He can't find anything to connect his wound and that was not easy with his hands tied to a chain.

"Dammit…"Ian muttered. The door flew open and dungeons guards went inside. They passed Ian cell and ignored him. The guards made another cell and pulled one out. As they walked back along Ian's cell, he was shocked. The guards had Allison.

Allison turned and looked at Ian. She looked frightened. "Ian!"

"Allison!" Ian said. He stood up and took it towards the bars, but the chain was too short and Ian could not continue. The guards and Allison walked out of the dungeons. "Allison!" Ian shouted and the door closed with a bang.

Ian cursed aloud and sat back down on the ground. It dawned on him that no one was going to save them. Not even Jack and his friends. He could not blame them, his group was too small. It would be a suicide mission.

Ian did not know how long it took, it seemed hours. But the door of the dungeon opened. Ian looked up and saw the guards. They did open his cell and walked toward him. Ian felt his heart in his throat. They freed Ian from the chain and took him.

They took him to the main hall and went up the stairs. They continued to walk the long corridor. The walls were lined with large paintings. They were different; one had a landscape with mountains and trees, on the other was the portrait of a young woman wearing a white wedding dress. There was even a painting with two white rabbits. Ian had felt she followed him with their red eyes.

They arrived at a large wooden door. Ian saw Grimm standing next to the door. "Today is your lucky day, boy." He said. "She wants to meet you."

The door opened and Ian was pushed inside. They arrived in a large hall, which was lit by a large glass chandelier. The floor was made of black marble; they were so clean, that you could see yourself.

The walls were as black as the floor. At the back, Ian saw a golden four-poster bed. It was loaded with colored cushions, above the bed hung a white mosquito net. Someone was lying on the bed, motionless. Ian looked around, he saw mannequins everywhere.

"Let him go, he can't go anywhere." Grimm said and walked into to the room. The guards let Ian go and left the room. The door closed and it was quiet.

Grimm came to stand next to Ian. "He's here, your highness."

The thing began to move on the bed and pushed aside the mosquito net. The thing got up and started walking towards the Ian. His mouth was open. The thing was a slim woman. Her skin was white and she had her long yellow hair to her waist.

She wore a long pale pink dress to her ankles. She was breathtaking; she looked as a perfect model. Was she the puppet mistress? She came closer and Ian saw her big emerald eyes. They were beautiful; Ian had never seen such eyes. Why would anyone dump her for another woman? Each man could fall in love with her.

Suddenly Grimm kicked against Ian's leg. Ian felt a sharp pain and fell to his knees. "Show some respect!" Grimm said and bow for the woman. "My apologies, your highness."

The woman looked at Ian. "Stand up, please." She said. Ian stood with difficulty; the pain in his leg had become worse.

"I understand that you were a part of the resistance, human." The woman said and she looked at Grimm. "And I understood the resistance was gone."

Grimm looked up. "They were, but that stupid skeleton wanted to save his friends." And he pointed at Ian. "One of his friends escaped."

The woman looked at Ian. "Is that so? Well, it doesn't matter." She said. "With you, I have still plenty of dolls, to crush that Jack skellington."

"Wait, you don't have to this." Ian said quickly.

The woman looked at him. Grimm wanted to punch him, but his ruler stopped him. "Go on." She said.

"Look, I know what happened to you." Ian said and he feels the adrenaline rise inside his body. "It was cruel of him to treat you that way. He should not have done it."

The puppet mistress said nothing and Ian continues: "But what you're doing now is just as bad. You need to get over it."

The puppet mistress turned around and walked away from him. "You think that is easy, boy?" she said with an angry voice and stopped walking. "He left me for another woman, a human."

She turned back and looked at Ian. She was furious. "Has your heart ever broken? You do not know what you're talking about!"

"I had a girlfriend, she ... I ... We broke up." Ian said.

"Did she betray you? Did she also cheat?" The puppet mistress asked.

"No, no one did." Ian said. "We were fine with that and we are now good friends. Of course it was lonely in the beginning but…." Ian looked at the mannequins. "That's why you made them because you were lonely."

The puppet mistress looked the mannequins. "You are sharp. Yes, I was lonely, but I also did it out of revenge. Apparently I was not good enough for him. I killed my husband and took his sweetheart and made her the first puppet. Of course, I got help from Dr. Finkelstein. I am a ruler, a queen, not a scientist."

She walked over to a male mannequin. His skin was gray and got many black holes in his skin and cracks. "He made wax, making the human obeyed me. But the dolls were given a kind of power. I assume you've seen it before?"

Ian nodded.

"But there was a complication. The wax made indeed that they listened to me. But they were as fragile as porcelain. With one bang and they were broken." She said and touches the mannequin. He turned into dust. "But now, he has improved his wax and now they are preserved much longer."

Ian saw that there were five mannequins arrived on foot. These were the five teenagers who came into this world last year. "These five were the first subjects." The puppet mistress said and walked to Ian.

When she stood before him, she grabbed his face with her hands. Her hands felt ice-cold. Ian looked into her eyes. He could smell her delicious perfume, it smelled like roses. "You have beautiful eyes." She said. "They are as blue as the ocean and you look so cute."

"Funny, everyone says that." Ian muttered and the puppet mistress was letting go his face.

"You will be my favorite puppet. You will love me and never leave me." She said with a smile and her eyes went bigger. Ian saw the madness in her emerald eyes. All those years of pain and grief had driven her mad, poor woman.

"Do...Do you have a name?" Ian asked carefully.

"You do not have known, but it's cute that you ask." The puppet mistress said. Ian saw a golden necklace around her neck. There hung a gold round disc, Ian could read a name: Kalista. Her name was Kalista. Even her name sounds beautiful.

"Take him to Dr. Finkelstein." She said. Two mannequins walked towards Ian and grabbed him. "Call me when he is ready." And the two mannequins brought Ian out of the room.

"Looks like you found a new love." Grimm said.

"Yes, that's true." The puppet mistress said and looked at the sheriff. "Thank you for bringing him here. I'm very pleased."

And Sheriff Grimm bowed to her.

* * *

The mannequins hurried with Ian toward the labs. They did a door open and Ian saw the table where his best friend has located. They picked him up and laid him on the table. Ian tried to fight back. But the mannequins bound him quickly with the leather straps. They bound him so tightly that it hurt his wrists and ankles.

"Great, we'll start again." Someone said. Ian lifted his head and he saw the scientist, Dr. Finkelstein. He rode in a wheelchair to him. Behind him walked a female mannequin. She had a tray in her hands with syringes. Another mannequin grabbed a wheeled table with small and large butcher knives.

He also saw an object made of wood. Ian remembered the story of Allison_. "I heard from someone that they have their hearts cut out and replaced with a wooden heart. They inject something and you changed into…that ..."_

"Remove his upper clothing." Dr. Finkelstein said and a mannequin ripped Ian's jacket and shirt into pieces. They were planning to take out its heart. This was not good. His heart started beating hard, he could hear it in his ears.

"Grab some rope; I do not want to listen to his screams." Dr. Finkelstein said and he took with his hands the edge of the table and stood. A piece of rope was done to Ian's mouth. His head was pulled back so that his head hit the table.

Ian was forced to look up and saw Allison. Her eyes were bright white and her skin had become slightly brown. She had become one of them. He began to breathe heavily.

"Now, sit still." Dr. Finkelstein said en took a knife. He began to cut deep into Ian's chest. Ian felt the excruciating pain and started screaming. Dr. Finkelstein went deeper and deeper cut in his chest. Ian could feel his warm blood; it flowed along its sides.

Finkelstein suddenly grabbed a pair of pliers and cut Ian's ribs open. Again he grabbed a knife and with a few cuts, he pulled his heart out without difficulty. Ian felt that the rope was loosened his mouth and gently lifted his head. He stared at the hands of Dr. Finkelstein. In his hands he had his heart. It was still beating. Ian started to see blurry and began to gasp for air. "_So, I'm going to die like that?_" Ian thought.

Allison took the rope from his mouth. Dr. Finkelstein took the wooden object and without warning he shoved it in Ian's chest. Ian gasped and regained air. The haziness decreased and could see clearly again. But the pain in his chest began to grow and he heard the wooden heart beating.

"What…did you…?" Ian said and Dr. Finkelstein took a syringe. He did the needle in his wooden heart and injected the wax. Ian felt the wax go through others around. It was as if his body was on fire.

Ian could feel his skin and he looked at his hand. His skin color changed to white and it crept up. He was changing.

"Feel honored boy, you are now part of us." Dr. Finkelstein said and sat down in his wheelchair.

"I'll never be one of you." Ian said and the wax crept up to his neck.

"Sorry, boy." Dr. Finkelstein said. "You just did."

Ian felt going to wax on his face and began to convulse. Within seconds, he closed his eyes.

* * *

"He is all done, your highness." Dr. Finkelstein said and the puppet mistress walked into the room. She went straight to the table where Ian was on. She didn't bother the blood on the ceiling and on the floor.

She bent over Ian's body and nodded with satisfaction. His body was white and Dr. Finkelstein had the cut neatly sutured. "You continue to amaze me, doctor." The puppet mistress said. "Good work."

"You're very welcome, your highness." Dr. Finkelstein said.

The puppet mistress moved closer towards Ian face and kissed on his mouth. "Wake up, my dear puppet." She said softly and moved her head away from his face. Ian woke up, his eyes were bright white.


	20. At the police station

Chapter 20: At the police station

* * *

It was quiet on the road and the officer Charles Knight drove a police car on his way to his work. Charles had to work today for his sick colleague. But luckily he only had to work until twelve hours in the afternoon. Then he had enough time to go to the baseball game of his youngest son Richard.

It was Richard's first match and he was very nervous. He had trained hard and had sleepless nights. His mother was worried that he did not get enough sleep. Charles had promised to come.

Charles drove by. He loved to ride along forests. It was around this time, always quiet. Suddenly he saw something and Charles braked hard. He came screeching to a halt. Had he hit something? He looked up and saw a person. It was a young man, and he wore no shirt. His chest was covered with scratches. The young man stood there and did not move. Charles got out of the car.

"Are you okay?" Charles asked carefully.

Was he walked through the woods? And how long? Charles saw that the young man had trousers on. But one trouser leg was darker than the other. It looked like blood. Was it his blood? Was he hurt?

"Are you hurt? Do you need help?" Charles asked, but the young man said nothing. Charles decided to take him to the station. Maybe he can get answers.

* * *

Anthony did not know how long he was at the police station. It felt like hours. The officer had taken him and they put him in an interrogation room. They had given him a cup of coffee and a borrowed sweater. He did not even realize he missed his shirt.

The door opened and a female officer stepped inside. She had a notebook in her hands. She wore a white blouse with long sleeves underneath a dark blue skirt up to her knees. Her blond hair she had hung in a high ponytail. The woman sat across from him and looked at him with a smile. "Good morning, I'm Officer Hannah Daniels." she said. "Can you tell me your name?"

Anthony cleared his throat. "Anthony Padilla."

Daniels wrote something down in her notebook. "My colleague had you picked up from the street. Can you tell me what happened?" Daniels asked. "You seemed lost in that forest, where you alone?"

"No…I…" Anthony said. "I don't know how to tell it, it sounds crazy."

Daniels looked at him with her blue eyes en gave him a smile. "Try me." And Anthony told his story.

Two officers were standing behind a glass and they watched the interrogation room. They saw Anthony talking to Daniels. They could not see them.

"So he was just down the road?" asked Officer Adrian Ford.

"Yes, that was really weird." Officer Knight said. "I trust that is blood on his leg. He seems not be injured."

"Could he have killed someone?" Ford asked.

"Who knows." Knight said.

Anthony finished his story and it became silent. Daniels wrote nothing and kept staring at him. "Um ... Excuse me for a moment." She said. She stood up and walked out the room.

She walked to her two colleagues. "And? What did he tell you?" Knight asked.

""He said he and his best friend had gone to the forest to investigate something." said Daniels. "They came up in another world where an evil person has turned all normal people into puppets."

"Normal people?" Ford asked.

""In that world of him live all kinds of monsters. Like vampires and mummies." Daniels said. "And normal people came into that world via a door." Daniels said. "And that will appear only once a year."

Her colleagues looked her with a strange look. "What kind of drugs has he used?" Ford asked. "And what is the name of that friend?"

"Ian Hecox." Daniels said.

"I'm going to check that." Ford said.

"And I want to investigate that blood on his trouser leg." Knight said.

"Why is that?" Daniels asked.

"I think it's not his blood." Knight said. "He was not injured when I saw him on the road."

"But the blood tests can take days." Daniels said. "Even months."

"Not with our newest device for this type of testing." Ford said. "It will take then a few minutes."

Daniels nodded. "Of course, you are right. Let's get to work."

* * *

Ford typed something on his computer. "No one has reported that Ian Hecox is missing."

"Not even his parents?" Knight asked. "Other friends?"

"No, normally we look for someone who has been for missing 24 hours." Ford said.

"It's been 24 hours, Andy." Knight said. "I think."

Ford nodded. "Well, nobody called for him." And he typed further. "That Padilla looks familiar to me. I think I've seen him before."

"What do you mean?" Knight asked and looked at Ford's screen. "Who are those guys?"

"These are Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox. They are from Smosh, a kind of comedy group." Ford said. "They're a big YouTube hit, my three daughters and their friends watched them every day. I don't understand why, I do not find them funny. "

"I never heard of them." Knight said and Ford clicked on the YouTube channel of Smosh. Then he clicked on an episode of food battle.

Two agents came in and took a sample of Anthony's trouser leg, there was blood on it and he knew from who it was. When Ian was cracked by the arrow, he was bleeding. And after he helped Anthony walking, some blood fell on his pants. And with his permission, they took a piece of his hair.

When the two agents left, Anthony got the feeling he was in trouble. He didn't know how long it will take. Ian was injured and maybe he still is. Anthony was worried. "I have to go." Anthony muttered. "Maybe my friends can help me."

He wanted to get up when the door opened. Daniels and Ford came walking in. The woman sat opposite him and Ford stood behind her.

"Your one of the Smosh guys, right?" Ford asked.

"Eh…Yeah…" Anthony said.

"Can I get an autograph? My daughters love your shows." Ford asked.

"Adrian, please focus." Daniels said and looked at Anthony. "Look, Anthony. We examined the blood of your pants and it's not your blood. With piece of your hair, we able compare it."

"Do you have something to say?" Ford asked.

"What do you mean?" Anthony asked. "I already have told my story."

"Do you know what we think?" Daniels asked. "We think you did something to your friend Ian Hecox. And you tell a fantasy story because you feel guilty. Did you have a fight? Was it jealousy?"

"What are you saying?" Anthony asked. "Do you guys think…"

"We think that exactly." Ford said. "Where did you hide the body of Ian Hecox?"

"I told you everything. My friend is stuck in another world." Anthony said. When he thought about it, it sounded very strange in his mouth. "I did not kill him."

"Then how to we get to that other world?" Daniels asked.

"We can't…..it is closed for another year." Anthony said. "It will open on Halloween."

"Right…" Daniels said. "I will be honest with you, Anthony. I don't believe your story. So come clean and tell us the truth."

"Besides, I saw you a video on you YouTube channel." Ford said. "You and Hecox played a game and at the end you murder each other."

Anthony knew what he was talking about. He was talking about an episode of food battle. "That was just an act." Anthony said. "That was not real. And I will never hurt my friend! "

Daniels and Ford looked at each other. They did not know what to do. They could not hold him because there was no other evidence. They only had a blood sample that was not from Anthony and a very strange story. And there was probably somebody missing, they did not know whether he was alive. Or was this all made up?

Daniels and Ford left the room. "What now?" Ford asked. "We have nothing to keep him here."

"True." Daniels said and another female officer walked towards them. "Did someone called?"

"Yes, a woman called Mrs. Hecox is on the phone." The female officer said.

"Can you ask her if she can come along?" Daniels asked.

* * *

Mrs. Hecox was sitting before a desk and Daniels sat across from her. "So, Mrs. Hecox." She said. "I understand that your son is missing?"

"Yes, he will today come to me to help with the birthday of his aunt." Mrs. Hecox said. "He had promised to come in the afternoon. And he is more often of late, but this time he was three hours late. And he doesn't answer his phone. I am worried. My husband said that he is a grown up man and can take care of himself, I agreed with that. But he is still my little boy."

"I understand that. Do you know the young man Anthony Padilla?" Daniels asked.

"Yes, I do." Mrs Hecox said. "He and my son are best friends, why do you ask?"

"We found Anthony Padilla on the road, he wore no shirt and his trouser leg was covered in blood." Daniels said. "It was not his blood."

"What do you mean?" Mrs. Hecox. "Is it from Ian?"

"We think so." Daniels said. "We think that Anthony….had hurt him and hide is body."

Mrs. Hecox looked surprised. "That doesn't sound like Anthony. He is very kind and he will never hurt my Ian."

"You are aware of your son's YouTube channel?" Daniels asked. "There were sometimes that Anthony sometimes murders your son. We know it is just an act. But have you ever notice something strange about Anthony?"

"Well my son is strange too." Mrs. Hecox said with a faint smile. "They fit perfectly together. But I will not believe that Anthony had anything to do with Ian's missing."

Daniels nodded and before she could ask another question, one of her colleagues rushed over to her. "There something wrong!" He said. "With that Padilla boy."

Anthony saw an agent standing in the front of the door. He was staring at him and that made Anthony nervous. He felt like a criminal, while he had done nothing.

Anthony began to feel light in his head and buried his face in his hands. He noticed that he was sweating and the world around him began to turn. "_What is happening?" _Anthony thought. "_I don't….feeling well._"

"Are you alright?" A voice asked. "Do you need something?"

Anthony looked up and his eyes turning big. The face of the agent was turned in to white and his eyes where white, without an iris. He was a mannequin and Anthony jumped out of his seat. Was he hallucinating? Or did they follow him?

"Stay away." Anthony said and backed away. "Stay away!"

The mannequin came closer and closer. Anthony's heart was beating in his throat and his adrenaline was rising. He made a choice and jumped at the mannequin. The mannequin looked surprised and they fell on the ground.

Anthony started to punch in his face and kept repeating it. Until someone was pulling him up. He looked up and saw two other male mannequins. "_No…not again…_" Anthony thought and tried to free himself. But she held him tightly. "Let me go!" he cried.

The mannequins pinned him to the ground. Anthony looked up and saw two female mannequins standing in the doorway. One of the female mannequins was talking to the other mannequins, but Anthony couldn't hear it.

Suddenly he was lifted up and was led out of the room. Anthony tried to resist, but the mannequins were stronger. "No, let me go!" he shouted. "Let me go!"

Daniels saw that Anthony was led out of the room and she heard him scream. Another colleague walked into the interrogation room to look at his injured colleague. His face was covered in blood and needed medical attention. What was wrong with that young man?

"Oh my god.' Mrs. Hecox said. Daniels turned around and saw her standing behind her. "This cannot be."

"I'm very sorry, Mrs. Hecox." Daniels said.

"What are you going to do with him?" Mrs. Hecox said.

"A place that is safe for him." Daniels said. "He will remain there until we have further news about your son."

* * *

A police car stopped at the psychiatric hospital 'Green Heart.' Three policemen got out of the car. Two of the officers pulled Anthony out of the car. They took him inside.

"Where are you taking me?" Anthony asked. "Let me go! You stupid puppets!"

They walked inside. An agent walked to the counter, behind the counter stood a woman. She looked surprised at the cops and Anthony. "Is Dr. Serpent present?"

"Yes he is." the woman said.

"Call him, tell him that we have patient for him. He is a suspect in a case, but he has become crazily." The agent said and the woman nodded quickly and she grabbed the phone.

"Dr. Serpent? There is a new patient." She said. "He is also a suspect in….yes…I will tell them…" She laid down the horn and looked at the agent. "He's on level four, gentlemen."

"Thank you." The agent said and walked towards the elevator with his two colleagues and Anthony.

Within a few minutes they were on the fourth floor. She immediately saw the Dr. Serpent. He wore a long white coat and had his gray hair combed back. Anthony was still fighting back.

Dr. Serpent grabbed a syringe from his pocket. "This should keep him quiet." And he walked over to Anthony.

"Stay away from me!" Anthony cried and Dr. Serpent put the needle in Anthony's neck. Anthony felt the liquid to flow into his veins and began to see blurred.

"_Put him in this chamber_." Dr. Serpent said. "_Then you can tell me, what's wrong with him._"

The agents brought Anthony into an empty white chamber and lay him in a bed. Anthony felt drowsy and closed his eyes. He did not even hear the confrontation between the officers and the doctor.


	21. One year later

A/N

MoonlitFudge: Thanks you so much for your review! I had an inspiration boost and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks again!

Chapter 21: One year later

* * *

A nurse walked on the corridor with a cart with medication. She knocked on a door and walked inside. "Medication." she said with sullen face. She grabbed a plastic cup of water with a medicine in her hand.

Anthony Padilla lay on the bed and looked up. "Come on, Padilla." The nurse said. "Do not try this again. You know it's good for you."

Anthony sighed and stepped out of bed. He took the medicine and the water. He swallowed the medicine with the water. It tasted terrible.

"Mouth open." The nurse said and Anthony opens his mouth. The nurse saw no drug in his mouth and that meant he had swallowed it. "Good boy. Do you have still hallucinations?"

Anthony shook his head. "Not anymore, thanks to those disgusting medicines."

"That's good to hear." The nurse said and left the room and locked him. This was the daily routine, since he was stuck here. He had refused a few times, but things turned out wrong.

They forced him to swallow them in his mouth far enough to open. They did the medication into his mouth and shut it. By making it worse, they pinched his nose so he could not breathe. But thanks to medications he had no more hallucinations. It was good for something.

Anthony went to lie back in bed, waiting for his breakfast. He was stuck in the hospital for a whole year. He was a suspect in a murder case. The police suspect him from murdering his best friend Ian. He was still stuck in that Halloween world. Not a day went by without Anthony thought of him. Since he was back in the real world, Anthony began to see things. He had hallucinations of mannequins who attacked him.

Last year he hit a police officer in his face, because he thought the officer was a mannequin. That was probably one of the reasons why he was here. Ian was missing here officially and the police had asked him a thousand questions. But the police saw him as a disturbed patient, so they stopped asking questions after a day.

Ian's mom was broken and when she visited him, she couldn't speak normally without letting a tear. Anthony hates to see her like that.

He sighed and looked at his wall. The wall was plastered with newspaper pieces on missing teenagers. They were all mysteriously disappeared. Anthony was looking for any evidence about the portal or something about the Halloween world.

What he does not understand is that they disappeared on different dates and not on Halloween. That was about three days. Maybe it all had nothing to do with that world. Maybe it was coincidence. Anthony felt sleepy, which was due to the medication. He began to yawn and closed his eyes.

* * *

_Anthony walked over a large lawn covered with small yellow flowers. The sky was blue and there was a gentle breeze. Anthony heard laughter and started to walk faster. He stopped walking and saw his friends sitting in the grass. _

_He saw Matthew, Mari, Joshua, David and even Kalel. They were talking and laughing. As if they had a picnic, without a basket with food and drinks._

"_Good, glad you're made it." Someone said and Anthony felt a slap on his shoulder. He turned his head and saw Ian standing. He was smiling at him. "Come on, we were waiting for you."_

"_Ian…" Anthony said and Ian walked over to their friends. _

"_Look, guys!" Ian said. "Anthony is here."_

_Their friends looked up. "There you are!" Kalel said with a big smile. She stood up and walked over to Anthony. "Why are you always late, sweetie?" She said and she gave him a hug. "I've missed you." _

_Anthony was glad to see her, he didn't saw her for months. She and his friends were not allowed to visit him. And maybe that was for the best because Anthony could attack everyone if he had a hallucination. He will never forgive himself if he had attacked one of his friends._

_His friends believed he had nothing to do with the disappearance of Ian and had always supported him by sending him cards and letters. They had started their own quest for Ian. But without result. Anthony tried to tell his story, but he saw in their eyes that they did not believe him. He could not blame them, it sounded ridiculous._

"_Kalel…I missed you too…" Anthony said and Kalel was letting him go. "I love…"_

_Suddenly Kalel began to cough up blood and her eyes widened. Anthony saw that her chest was punctured. Someone had stabbed her through her back. "Kalel!" Anthony cried and his girlfriend felt on the ground. She was dead._

_The sky was changed to red and the grass and flowers were dried. Anthony looked to the others and was shocked. They were all dead. Matthew missed his head and David missed his lower body. Anthony looked at Mari, she was unrecognizable. Her insides were scattered. And Joshua was missing all of his limbs. _

_Anthony had to vomit, but nothing came from his throat. He saw Ian standing in the middle, he was unharmed. _

"_Ian…what's going on?" Anthony said and he was freezing, he began to shake. "Ian…please….answer me!"_

_Ian turned slowly and looked at Anthony. And he was shocked by his friend._ _Ian's skin and eyes were white._

"_No way, don't tell me this is true." Anthony said. The cold forced him to his knees._

"_It is, sweetheart." Ian said, but it wasn't his voice. It was a mix of his voice and a woman voice. Who was that woman's voice? Could it be the puppet mistress?_

"_Let…him...go…."Anthony said and he hit his arms around him. The cold began to get worse, he saw his own breath. _

"_No, I won't." Ian said. "He is my and my alone. I will not share him." He walked over towards Anthony. Because of the cold, he couldn't move. Anthony saw that Ian had a large butcher knife in his hand. He knew what Ian was planning._

"_Ian, please don't do it…." Anthony said. "I'm begging you…"_

_But Ian walked up to him and stabbed him in his chest. Anthony felt the pain, it felt real. Tears appeared in his eyes. "Ian…" _

_Ian moved his head to Anthony's ear. "You lose…." He whispered and he pushed the knife deeper into Anthony's chest._

* * *

Anthony screamed and sat upright in his bed. He gasped and felt the sweat going down his face. Anthony heard a knock on his door and it opened. A nurse put on his table a board with breakfast. She looked at him and smiled kindly. "Got your breakfast."

She was one of the kindest nurses, she always brought him breakfast and dinner. When she got time, she always went to talk to him. Her name was May and she was always wearing her red hair in a tick braid. If she had her hair loose, she looked like Ariel of the little mermaid.

"Are you alright?" May asked. "You look like you've had a nightmare."

Anthony nodded. "It was awful."

"Do you want to talk about it?" May asked with concern in his voice. She looked at her pink watch. "I have got plenty of time."

"That's very kind of you." Anthony said. "But I don't want to talk about it. Not today."

May nodded and gave him a smile. "It's okay. Do you want to talk about it when you're ready for it?"

"I will, I promise." Anthony said. May said goodbye and left his room. But she came back with something in her hand.

"Oh, I almost forgot." She said and laid a newspaper on the table. "The newspaper of today!"

"Thank you." Anthony said and May left the room. Anthony got out of bed and walked to the table. He took the news in newspaper. On the cover was there again teenagers were missing. This time there were two girls and a boy.

"_This is not making sense_." Anthony thought. "_If it had something to do with the Halloween world, why they were missing three days before Halloween? I don't understand._"

He threw the newspaper on his bed and looked at his breakfast. May gave him four slices of bread with a thick layer of strawberry jam. She knew he liked it. And as a bonus there was an apple beside his plate. But Anthony still felt nauseous from his nightmare. He decided to save it for later.

That night, Anthony couldn't sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw his murdered friends. And he saw Ian, who stood with his empty eyes and a knife in his hand.

Suddenly he heard rattling at his door. Anthony sat up slowly. Who was that? If it was a doctor or a nurse, why do they not use their key? The door flew open and a black shadow walked into his room.

Anthony jumped out of bed. "Who are you? What do you want from me?"

"I'll get you out of here." The shadow said and turned on the light. "It was very difficult to find you."

Anthony looked at him with big eyes. The shadow was a living skeleton, was he hallucinating again? "Who are you?" He asked again.

"My name is Jack Skellington." He said. "And we need your help."

"We?"

Jack walked towards him and grabbed Anthony's arm. "Yes, you need to come with me. And we have to hurry."


	22. Welcome back

Chapter 22: Welcome back

* * *

Anthony pulled his arm back and looked at the skeleton man in terror. "No way, I do not even know who you are!"

"Look we have little time." Jack said. "We must get out of here, before my magic stops working."

"Your magic?" Anthony asked.

"I have practiced last year." Jack said and shows Anthony his gold ring with an emerald. "Impressive, huh?"

"Right…." Anthony said. "Am I hallucinating again?"

"No, I'm real." Jack said and walked and headed for the door. "But Anthony we must go now."

"How do you know my name?" Anthony asked.

"I know your friend Ian, I helped him to save you." Jack said. "It is just a shame he didn't make it out of our world."

Anthony looked shocked. "You're out of that other world. But how? The portal only opens about three days. How is Ian? Is he still alive?"

"I'll explain it all when we get out of here." Jack said and walked out the room.

Anthony followed him. If this skeleton actually gets him get out of here, he wanted to follow him. They walked across the dark hallway. It was dead quiet.

He saw a person lying on the ground. Anthony looked at him and saw that it was a security guard. He guarded the corridors at night, but he was unconscious.

"Don't worry." Jack said. "He is sleeping, thanks to my magic. He will wake up very soon."

Anthony said nothing and continues to walk. He hoped that he continues to sleep. The guard was a large man and not very friendly. Anthony knew him. When he had hallucinations, he yelled everyone awake.

The guard had him firmly against the wall, before the nurse could give a sleep medication. But he broke Anthony's wrist. As a result, he had to wear long weeks in plaster.

Suddenly he felt a cold shiver through his spine. Something was wrong. He stopped walking. Jack turned his head and stopped walking. "What are you doing? We have to go."

Anthony turned around. He heard voices and saw light beams of flashlights. The voices shouted: "Hey, who are you?"

They came closer and Anthony stood still. He saw the eyes of the mannequins, the white lifeless eyes. He began to tremble. Anthony saw images that he was strapped to the wooden table, he saw the scientist with a large syringe. He was able to remember everything.

He felt someone pulling at him. The images disappeared and Anthony realized he was running. He looked up and saw that Jack was holding his wrist.

"We do not have time for this!" Jack shouted. "Dammit, I thought I had all the guards."

"Stop!" the guards cried. "Don't move!"

Jack opened a door and they were in the stairwell. The two men ran down as quickly as they could. When they were down, they ran across the hall to the exit. But the exit was blocked by two other guards. Jack and Anthony stopped running.

"Do not move or I'll shoot!" said one of the guards and they pointed their guns at them.

Jack turned and saw that the other two guards walked toward them. They drew their guns. "Who are you? What are you going to do with the patient?"

Anthony looked around. There was no way out. He will never get out of here, he will never be able to save his best friend. Anthony wanted to give up.

Jack looked at his ring. They have to leave here, but that will cost a lot of energy. Maybe too much, but Jack had no choice.

"I'm so sorry; gentlemen, but I have an appointment." Jack said with a smile and he held Anthony's wrist tighter. "I promise that I'll be on time."

Jack's ring began to glow too brightly. Anthony closed his eyes. The voices of the guards began to fade and the surroundings began to change. And they disappeared.

The light disappeared and the guards were surprised. "Where are they?" asked one of the guards.

"And that was a living skeleton, right?" another asked.

"Don't talk like that." said another guard. "Otherwise, they'll lock you up, when you talk crazy. It's all trick, they must be somewhere. Let's find them before someone misses him."

* * *

Anthony fell with his face on the hard ground. Startled, he looked up. He was on a paved road, which was lit by streetlamps. "Sorry for the hard landing, I still need to practice with it."

Anthony turned his head and saw the skeleton man standing. He reached out to help Anthony on his feet. "How did we get here?" Anthony asked.

Jack showed his ring. "I've used the magic that was contained in this ring. This magic allows the guards fell asleep. But it took to much energy to transport us here. I think it's worked out."

Jack started walking. "We go to walk from here; luckily it's not too far."

"Wait, you owe me some answers." Anthony said and followed him.

"Oh yeah, you are right." Jack said. "My world is still in chaos because of our lovable ruler. But this time there were normal people, while it is not Halloween. We found out that she had a magician who can open the portal, anytime he wants. They can bring their workers into this world, so they could abduct normal people. She is building an army."

"I knew it." Anthony muttered softly. That was the reason why many teenagers were missing. "But wait, how did you came here?"

"I know a witch, she is also my teacher." Jack said. "She can also open the portal. She opened it for me, but only for 24 hours."

"If this witch could open the gate, why she has not done before?" Anthony asked. He felt the anger grow. "If she did that sooner….."

"We did not know that, we know only a few days that she could do it." Jack said. "She is very alone and she does not tell everything. She has lost her entire family to the puppet mistress. The only one she has is her granddaughter."

"How is Ian?" Anthony asked.

"He is….one of them." Jack said. "I'm very sorry. They got him probably after you left. We thought he and Allison had escaped together with you, until we saw them."

Anthony had a feeling that his friend was a puppet, but he had secretly hoped he was safe. "Is there anything we can do to save him?"

Jack said nothing.

"Come on Jack, I have been stuck in that hospital for a whole year." Anthony said. "I see things that are not there and they said I was crazy! They think that I killed Ian! You have to tell me that he still can be saved! Please, tell me!"

Jack stopped walking and turned around. Anthony He looked straight into his eyes. "What kind of things did you see?" He asked.

"I saw mannequins." Anthony said and stopped walking. "And images that I was stuck and that the scientist ... I think of it ...It still frightens me."

"They've injected you with the wax last year, right?" Jack asked.

"Eh yeah, but I turned to normal when I was back here." Anthony said and remembered what the person Moriarty said to Ian. "I think one of your friends said that."

"Well, Moriarty said was true." Jack said. "But there still may be small traces of wax in your blood. That can affect your brain and provide the hallucinations and the traumatic experiences that you have accumulated in that castle."

"Well that explains everything." Anthony muttered.

"The witch had an antidote. That will neutralize the last bit of wax." Jack said and turned around. "Let's go, we are not far." And they stared to walk.

After a few meters, they began to walk in the woods. Anthony felt the small twigs and leaves crunching under his bare feet. Anthony was surprised that he had no cold. He wore a white pajama of thin cotton. His shirt had short sleeves and his pants had long legs.

"There it is!" Jack said and pointed at a blue circle that was hovering above the ground. It gave bright light. "Alright, are you ready?"

Anthony took a deep breath and they both jumped through the portal. The portal closed behind them. Within seconds Anthony felt the ice cold ground and he felt the wind in his hair.

He looked around and he saw he was on a paved road, with street lamps. Anthony saw the illuminated pumpkins. He was back in the Halloween world.

Jack looked at him. "Anthony, welcome back."


	23. The old witch

Chapter 23: The old witch

* * *

Anthony hit his arms around him. Here he was freezing and could not stop shaking. "How far is it?" He asked.

They had gone off the road and were walking through the forest. Jack had warned Anthony not to show fear. Otherwise the soul-sucking souls would come down on them.

"Not far." Jack said. "Are you alright? You are shaking."

"I'm freezing." Anthony said. "What about you?"

"I'm used to it." Jack said. "Oh there it is." And he pointed to a house made of wood. There was a light and there was smoke coming from the chimney. There was someone at home.

They went for it. Jack knocked three times on the door. When he was acquired, Anthony saw a young girl. She was wearing a long dark dress down to her ankles. The dress was adorned with white pearls around her waist she wore a black ribbon.

She got her black hair down to her shoulders. Around her neck she had a gold necklace with a large ruby on it. She looked very young.

"Jack, you are back." The girl said and she looked at Anthony with her brown eyes. "And you brought him."

"Yes, is your grandmother home?" Jack asked.

The girl nodded and she let the men inside. Anthony went inside, he felt like the heat on his skin. The room was large and square. He saw a burning fireplace with a purpose garment made of bearskin. There were two leather chairs and a small table with candles. There was a small kitchen with a wooden dining table. On the walls Anthony saw photos of children and adults. They were framed with a silver frame.

Anthony saw three other doors and wondered where that would lead. "Do you want a cup of tea?" the girl asked. "I have fresh lemon leaves."

"Please." Jack said with a smile and sat down in one of the leather chairs. The girl looked at Anthony and held out her hand. "My name is Paige, welcome into my grandmother's house."

Anthony nodded and shakes her hand. "Thanks, I'm Anthony."

"My grandmother is waiting for you." She said and pointed to the door to the left. "That would lead to her room."

"I don't want to be rude, but why would she speak to me?" Anthony asked.

"Because she knows how to save your friend." Paige said. "And to save all of us form the puppet mistress."

Anthony looked at her. "How?"

"She will tell you everything. Go on." Paige said. "My grandmother does not like it when someone is late."

Without asking questions, Anthony walked towards the door and went inside. Paige looked at Jack. "And how are you?"

"I'm fine." Jack said. "Did you get any news from my wife?"

Paige nodded and walked towards him. She showed him a letter. "She wrote you a letter." She said and gave it to him. "I have not read it, but I hope it is good news."

Jack took it and Paige walked towards the kitchen. He began to read quickly. It had been a month since he had received the last letter. His wife, Sally is now staying with Jack's cousin, who had an estate far beyond Halloween town.

After they had made an attempt last year to rescue Anthony, the puppet mistress did everything to get them. Sally and their son were no longer safe, in town. Luckily his cousin was a lord; the puppet mistress could not just penetrate his estate, without his permission.

_My dear Jack,_

_It's been a month since my last letter. I'm so sorry I have not written before._ _But according to your cousin, Lord Logan, I must be careful. Otherwise I could betray your place. I am fine. Lord Logan's wife and children are so sweet to me. And the kids love our son Jackson. They see him as their little brother and they watch over them, isn't it cute?_

_Speaking of him, he put his first steps. I fervently wished you were here to see it. And it is a pity that you cannot be present at his first birthday. But I understand, so I don't blame you. I tell him every night stories about you and how we met. He misses you. And you your cousins miss you too and they wonder when you come._ _They hope that you bring presents. I have received no news of my brother Moriarty. _

_When you meet him again, will you please say he should write me?_ _He has not written to me for four months. I worry about him. And I hope it goes well lady Artemisia and her granddaughter Paige._ _I hope to meet them when the war with the puppet mistress is over. Please be careful. I know you do, but I'll say it anyway. I love you with all my heart and your son gives you a big hug._

_Your beloved wife, Sally_

There was a big smile on Jack's face. Paige put a cup of tea down on the table. "Good news, I suppose?" she asked with a smile.

"My son has put his first steps. I feel proud." He said. "I hope I see him very soon."

* * *

Anthony closed the door behind him and he stood in a long corridor. At the end there was a door open, Anthony walked slowly towards it. He was a strong smell of lavender. Anthony walked through the doorway and fell into large circular room.

Against the walls were bookcases. In the middle there were two leather chairs in the middle a black table. On the table was a twig burning incense whose lavender scent came from. The room was lit by a chandelier made of glass. Anthony also saw animal skulls hang on the wall and a small black cauldron over a fire.

He walked further into the room. Suddenly the door was shut and beaten Anthony turned startled. He saw an old woman standing by the door. Her skin was wrinkled and her gray hair she had hung in a low tail. She wore a long purple dress to her ankles.

"Do not be afraid, boy." said the old woman. "I was expecting you. Sit down, sit down."

Anthony went quickly down on one of the leather chairs. The old woman sat opposite him. She looked at him with her grey eyes. "Do you like a cup of tea?" she asked.

"Eh…no thank you…." Anthony said. He heard something and without warning a snow-white cat jumped on Anthony's lap. He began to spin and lay down.

"That's weird." the old lady said. "Stardust never jumps on the lap of a stranger. Are you a cat person?"

"Well….I like cats…I have two at my home." Anthony said and he began to stroke the head of Stardust. The cat began to purr again. "And my girlfriend thinks of a third one."

The old lady nodded. "I see."

"Eh…Ms.…."

"Don't call me Ms., boy." The old lady said. "My name is Artemisia and I know who you are, Anthony."

"Paige told me that you know how I can save my friend." Anthony said. "So, how do I do that? My friend is een puppet. If you are one, then you cannot be saved."

"What you are saying is the truth." Artemisia said. "But what if I tell you there is another way."

Anthony looked at her. "What other way?"

"When a human turns into a puppet, his heart cut out. And often the heart is destroyed." Artemisia said. "This prevents that they can change back."

"They can change back?" Anthony asked. "They can change back to normal?"

"Yes, but only if the human heart is still exists." Artemisia said. "Otherwise, the person remains a mindless puppet. According to my spy, the puppet mistress holds a human heart. This is strange because she never does. This heart must be special for her. I think it belongs to your friend."

"Why do you think?"

"My spy says you friend Ian never leave her side. That says it all." Artemisia said. "When the resistance was relieved a year ago and rescue operation for a largely unsuccessful, Jack sought help from me. I helped him learn magic. He also learned that I could open the portal to go to your world."

Anthony wanted to say something, but the old lady continued.

"Jack had to find you for me because you are the only one to use this weapon." The old lady said and on the table appeared a bag made of red silk. The silk is folded open and Anthony saw a dagger with a gold handle.

"The mannequins are now less fragile and they are much stronger. With this dagger you can beat them now. The problem is, only a normal human and can use it." Artemisia said. "If we used it, we burn our hands."

"So how do you know it will work on a mannequin?" Anthony asked.

"Because a brave vampire has used the dagger against a mannequin. His hands and arms were badly burned." Artemisia said. "He died of his injuries two days later."

Anthony nodded. "But wait, does that mean I have to stab Ian?"

"Right in his wooden heart."

"Are you kidding me? I don't believe I can do that." Anthony said and Stardust jumped of his lap.

"You want to save your friend, right?" Artemisia said. "Well, this is the only way. You can save your friend and the rest of this world. Because if you do that, the mistress will be paralyzed and easy to beat."

"Because according to your spy, Ian is her favorite." Anthony said and the old lady nodded. "She will be broken if something happened to him."

"Exactly."

There was a silence. There was brewing a fight in Anthony. He wanted nothing more than to save his friend from that crazy woman. But that meant he had to stabbing him. Did he have the courage to do that?

"You must collect his heart, stabbed him and bring him to me." Artemisia said and Anthony looked at her. "I will cure him, as a reward for you helping us to defeat the mistress. There will finally peace if she is gone."

"Will you get also peace?" Anthony asked. "Jack told me that you lost your family because of the mistress. That's why you want to help Jack."

Artemisia sighed and looked at Anthony. "She killed my two daughters and my son in law. They were my only family after my husband died when he choked on a piece of apple. That poor fool." She took a break and continues. "My daughters were ladies. My oldest daughter Mona married the captain of the guard. They had a son and a daughter, Paige. But when the mistress went mad, she killed Mona in a rage. Her younger sister was a witness, and so she died."

"And your son in law?" Anthony asked.

"He brought my grandchildren to me and went back to the castle." Artemisia said.

"Why would she do that?" Anthony asked.

"I don't know. Maybe because my daughters were witches." Artemisia said. "The mistress doesn't like witches, because of our magic. And my son in law was executed because he was married to a witch. Ever since that, I raised my grandchildren. They were very young when it happened."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I don't know." Artemisia said. "Maybe because I wanted to tell my story to someone. It makes you certainly wonder what happened to the brother of Paige."

"I do…." Anthony said. "Where is he?"

"We have lost him too, few months ago." The old lady said. "My poor Cillian."

"I'm so sorry for your lost." Anthony said. Artemisia stood up and conjures a syringe. It contains a light orange substance and she walked towards Anthony.

"Your arm, please." She said. "This syringe contains an antidote for you hallucinations."

"How do you know that?" Anthony asked and gave the old lady his arm.

Artemisia gave him a smile. "I'm a witch, I know things." And she put the needle the needle into Anthony's arm and she injects the antidote. Anthony felt the liquid to flow into his veins. He began to blurred vision and felt sick.

"Don't worry; these are the side effects of the antidote." Artemisia said and pulled the needle out of Anthony's arm. "It will neutralize the little bit of wax that still remains in your body. The effects are short, but take your time."

Anthony's head begins to ache and felt his heart beating in his neck. The light from the chandelier sheet was too bright for him and he closed his eyes. He did not realize it, that Artemisia had left the room.


	24. The army

Chapter 24: The army

* * *

Anthony and Jack walked through the forest. They had not spoken a word to each other since the house had left Artemisia. The plan was clearly to Anthony.

_"Okay if I have understood this correctly." Anthony began. He stood in the living room of the witch and her granddaughter. Jack was still sitting in the leather chair and Artemisia sat opposite him._

"_We sneak into the castle with the help of your spy." Anthony said and looked at Artemisia. _

"_Correct." She said. "She is a kitchen maiden; she brings the food to the mistress. You can recognize her by two different colored eyes. One is blue and the other red. You will see her at one of the doors behind the castle. You have to knock 5 times."_

"_She can steer you in the castle. She will tell which path to take." Paige said. "Then you're on your own."_

"_But I guess we're not go alone?" Anthony asked and looked at Jack. _

"_Of course not, a small group is coming with us." Jack said. "And we have assembled an army. They will attack the castle and the mistress is distracted."_

"_The army will take over the castle." Anthony said. _

"_You got it." Jack said with a big smile. "Now you are cured of the wax, shall we go?"_

"_Wait, wait." Artemisia said and stood op. She turned towards Anthony. "You cannot go out with those clothes. It is not summer yet."_

_She snapped her fingers and Anthony saw that he had other clothing. He had black trousers topped with a thick black jacket with long sleeves. To his feet he had solid black shoes._

"_This is better do you think?" Artemisia said._

"_It is." Anthony said with a smile. "Thank you."_

_Artemisia laid a hand on Anthony's shoulder. "You are welcome and good luck."_

Anthony and Jack arrived on a hilly landscape. They saw a small group of three creatures sitting around a roaring campfire.

"Friends of yours?" Anthony asked.

The creatures looked up. "Jack! It's about time!" a vampire man said and stood up. The vampire man Jack slapped his shoulder.

"Sorry, for keep you waiting." Jack said and pointed at Anthony. "But I've found him, his name is Anthony. He was the one who, we had to save last year. The friend of Ian."

"Oh yeah, I remember. Sorry that your friend didn't make out of her." The vampire said and held out is hand to Anthony. "I'm Ajax, welcome on board."

Anthony shook his icy hand. Ajax pointed to the other at the campfire. "The mummy's name is Zahur, the werewolf is Kyoshi."

The black werewolf stood up. "Pleasure to meet you." He said.

Anthony nodded. "Same here." So, go with this small group they sneak into the castle? How are they planning to do it? They were outnumbered.

"The army is waiting behind that hill." Zahur said and they started to walk.

"How big is that army?" Anthony asked.

"Big enough." Ajax said and they walked up the hill. "Look for yourself, kiddo."

They stood on a hill and looked out over a huge army of various monsters. Everywhere there were campfires and tents. Anthony even saw large wooden slingshots, which they used in the middle ages. He felt that he had stepped into a war game.

Ajax hit his arm on Anthony's shoulder. "Impressive huh?"

"Yeah, this is awesome." Anthony said with honesty. "How did you guys do that?"

"Last year, our plan to rescue you went badly wrong." Jack said. "We had a traitor and one of our friends died in order to save our butts. The whole mission was miscalculated. "

"The resistance was raised before." Zahur said. "But when they heard that our effort had failed, everybody wanted to participate again."

"Talking about a quick change of heart." Ajax muttered.

"The hatred grew towards our ruler and with the help of the mayor; we could build a large army." Kyoshi said. "Although it took a year to build an army like this."

"But the ruler is no fool." Ajax said. "She is also working to create an army."

"The mannequins." Anthony said and Ajax nodded.

"We don't know how much puppets she had." Jack said. "We must not forget that she also has her own guards and they are also dangerous."

"It will be a fun day at the office." Ajax said and shrugged.

"Jack!" someone cried. "Wait up! Wait up!" The group turned around they saw Paige, running towards them.

"Paige? What are you doing here?" Jack said.

"I want to help. You guys need a witch." She said.

"Does your grandma know?" Jack asked.

"Eh no, she will never let me leave." Paige said. "But I'm going to help you. Without any argue."

Jack sighed. "Your grandma is going to kill me."

"Come on, Jack, my grandmother is not that violent." Paige said with a smile and she walked down the hill.

"She is right, Jack." Kyoshi said. "A witch always comes in handy."

Jack sighed. "Maybe you are right." And the group walked down the hill.

The group walked through the tent camp; it smelled of sweat and burnt wood. Everyone was busy preparing for the fight. Some were busy cleaning their swords. Others were busy practicing with their bows and arrows.

Anthony recognized countless creatures. He saw mummies, vampires, large spiders, werewolves, zombies and even ghosts. A large white werewolf approached the group. He wore a thick armor on his chest and in his hand he held a spear.

"Jack Skellington." He said with a heavy voice. "Good to see you."

"General Brody." Jack said with a smile. "Good to see you too. Is everything ready?"

"Yes, we are ready to attack." General Brody said. "We will attack soon after you and your group got in."

"Good and is Moriarty here? His sister is worried about him." Jack said. "He needs to write her often."

"He's probably at the field hospital, but I'll pass it on." The werewolf said.

"Thank you, general." Jack said and put his hand on the werewolf's shoulder. "I'm counting on you."

General Brody nodded and looked at Anthony. "Good luck."

Jack turned his head around and looked at his group. "Alight, my friends, let's go!"

Anthony looked at the castle and he felt his heart beating in his throat. . "_Hang on Ian. I'm coming for you._"


	25. The treasure room

Chapter 25: The treasure room

* * *

The group had walked the castle. Jack knew this side was bad guard by the guards. Jack knocked five times on a door. The door opened slowly and a woman's head turned. Jack looked straight into her two colored eyes.

"Are you coming from lady Artemisia?" the woman asked and Jack nodded. The woman left the group inside. They arrived in a long stone corridor. Anthony smelled the scent of freshly baked potatoes and fish. One of these doors should lead to the kitchen.

"Alright." The woman said and was pointing to the corridor. "Walk the down the corridor and then walk up the stairs. From there you should look out for a few guards. The ruler must be in the throne room. That's on the first floor with the big door with figures of horses. You cannot miss it."

"Where does she keep the human heart?" Jack asked.

"I believe in her personal treasure room." The woman said. "One of the ladies in waiting told me. It is on the second floor, with the silver door."

"Thank you." Jack said. "The castle will be under attack. I must ask you to leave with the other servants."

"I will." The woman said. "Good luck." And the group went straight through the corridor. They finally came to a stone staircase with wide steps.

The men and Paige walked slowly upward. When they were over, they heard noises. The group sat with their backs against the wall. They saw guards passing by. They were heavily armed with swords and spears. The guards were ready to fight. The puppet mistress had probably already seen the army.

When they had walked past the group looked at each other. "What's the plan?" Ajax whispered.

"A group has to go looking for the heart." Jack whispered back. "I'm going with Anthony to the puppet mistress. Who will go with us?"

"I will go." Kyoshi said.

"We will go looking for that heart." Zahur said and looked at Ajax and Paige. They nodded.

"Agreed, if you have found it, we'll see you in the throne room." Jack said. "Let's go. Good luck."

* * *

Zahur, Ajax and Paige walked slowly upstairs towards the second floor. They saw some guards and they hide quickly behind a statue of a witch with a large hat. They saw guards walk by. "How far is it?" Paige whispered.

"I have no idea." Ajax whispered back. "We must look for a silver door."

"The guards are gone, let's go quickly." Zahur whispered.

"Do you know which way?" Paige asked.

"We go to the left." Zahur said.

'Are you sure?" Ajax said.

Zahur nodded and they walked to the left corridor. The corridor was lit by burning torches and the floor was covered with a blue carpet. But they fell on the walls were bare, there was even no wallpaper. It looked very unattractive. Perhaps the mistress did that on purpose, so that no one would come to her treasury. Paige looked around her, she found it very quiet and got a bad feeling.

Zahur turned his head and saw Paige stopped. "What are you doing?" He asked and stopped with walking.

"I have a bad feeling." Paige said. "There is something here…I feel dark magic…"

"Guys, I found the door!" Ajax cried and he walked towards a silver door.

He tried to open it but it was locked. The vampire looked at Paige. "Can you help?"

Paige looked around nervously. "Paige! Come on!" Ajax said irritated. "We have no time for this, we have to hurry!"

Paige nodded and walked toward the door. She put her hands on the door. "I feel a force field ... I do not know if I can break it," she said.

"Could you try it with your magic?" Zahur asked.

"It is very strong." Paige said and she closed her eyes. "But I can try."

"What are you doing?" someone cried.

The group looked up and saw a boy. He wore a dark blue robe down to his feet. In his hand he had a long scepter surmounted on a crystal ball. His hair was short black and it was combed straight back. He looked very young, he was like 10 years old.

Paige looked shocked and stood up quickly. "Uh ... well ..."

"Go play outside, boy." Ajax said. "We are working here."

The boy turned his scepter to them. There was a white light beam. The group could just dive away in time.

"Good heavens." Ajax said. "Is he a sorcerer?"

"Yes he is." Paige said and she stood up. She looked at the sorcerer. "I'm very sorry but we have to do this."

"I know what you are planning, I will not let that happen." The sorcerer said and he turned his scepter towards Paige. "I've seen it all."

"Are you going to use your own magic against your own sister?" Paige asked. "Please, don't do that."

"Sister?" Zahur asked and stood up. "Is he your brother?"

"I thought you had lost him, according to Lady Artemisia." Ajax said and stood up quickly.

"We've lost him to the darkness. We never said that he was dead." Paige said and looked at her brother. The big problem is that her brother, can see small bits of the further.

Paige did not hesitate and turned her hand to the silver door. She gathered all her strength and out of her hand came powerful blue beam. The door swung open with a bang. She looked quickly at Ajax and Zahur. "Go! I will hold him up!" she cried.

"But…." Zahur said.

"Just go!" Paige cried again and the two men ran inside the treasure chamber.

Cillian laughed. "Do you really think you can fight against me?"

"You should see how much I trained." Paige said. "And I will bring you home!"

"I'm not going back to that old hag." Cillian said and he turned his scepter to Paige. "I chose for this."

"But why?" asked Paige and lifted her hands to him. "Why did you leave me and grandma?"

"I did it to increase my power." Cillian said. "And the ruler appreciates my talents."

"She is using you for her army and you kidnap innocent humans." Paige said. "That woman killed our parents and I will not allow you to stay here as her lap dog!"

Paige hands came from a blue ray and Cillian's scepter came from a white beam. They powerful beams hit each other.

* * *

Zahur closed the door quickly. "Okay, how hard is it to find a heart?" he asked.

He stood beside his friend and looked around. The room was big and long. The room was lit by large torches. Everywhere they looked they saw piles of golden coins, chests filled with gems and precious jewels. They even saw diamond and silver coins. The entire space was filled there.

"Now I can see where my taxes go." Ajax muttered. "This space is huge. How can we find the heart?"

"This is going to take forever." Zahur said.

"Let's start." Ajax said and the two men walked through the room. Zahur kicked mountains with coins away to see if there is something underneath. Ajax ran to dig into the treasure chests.

They did not know how long they were searching and Ajax became frustrated. "Damn it, where is it?" he said and kicked against a treasure chest.

"If I was the puppet mistress, where shall I hide it?" Zahur muttered.

Ajax sighed. "I don't know, perhaps in a golden casket?"

"What is this?" Zahur asked and grabbed a golden bag that was lying on a mountain of golden coins. It was decorated with small rubies and emeralds. It felt heavy and Zahur opened it. He pulled out a cylinder that was filled with green water.

"Oh my…." Zahur said.

"What the hell?" Ajax said and the two men looked at the cylinder. There was a human heart inside it. "Is that the human heart?"

"Yes, I think the water ensures that it is preserved." Zahur said.

"Good to know." Ajax said. "Let's get out of here."

Suddenly the torches went out and she heard a growl. "What is going on?" asked Ajax.

"Look." Zahur said and she saw something in the distance, two red lights came to them. But there were more than one. But it was no lights, they were eyes. They started growling and meowing. They were coming closer.

It was too dark to see what they are, but Zahur knew. "These are demonic shadow cats." he said. "They are known to guard valuable treasures."

"You're kidding me?" Ajax said and started too sighed. "I had thought that this mission was a lot easier. Do you have ideas?" And the shadow cats began to attack.


	26. Light

Chapter 26: Light

* * *

Paige ducked and the white beam hits the wall. "Blimey." Paige whispered and stood quickly. She lifted her hands to Cillian. There was lightning from her hands. Cillian turned his scepter at the young witch. There appeared a force field around him.

"You will never win from me sister!" Cillian cried. "I see every move of you!"

He pushed the force field of himself and it came against Paige. She was thrown against the wall. Paige fell to the ground. Her whole body is aching. He was too strong for her. She fervently wished they had more trained in fighting, instead of studying about herbs.

Paige stood up slowly and felt the warm blood flowing out of her nose. She hated blood and touched her nose with her hand. It cured in one second.

"_Okay, think, think, think!_" Paige said loudly in her head. "_What should I do?_" Suddenly she heard shouting and looked toward the door of the treasure room. Zahur and Ajax might be in trouble.

She looked at her brother and ran towards her brother. In the split second she gave him a punch in his face. Cillian looked surprised by her sudden attack. For some reason he did not see that. He hit her down with his scepter.

"I'm sick of you." Cillian said and hit her again with his scepter. Suddenly Paige grabbed the scepter. The scepter glowed and a powerful beam hit the ceiling.

The ceiling began to crack and collapsed. Paige could just dive away in time. The debris fell on Cillian, it all went so fast that he had no time to react.

Paige began to pant. "Cillian!" she cried and she ran to the mountain with rocks. She lifted her hands to the stone. They began to move. "_I hope I did not kill him…Please…._" When she had moved the stones, her brother was gone. Maybe he went somewhere with teleport magic.

Paige sighed, she had expected that a bit. "Wherever you are ... I'll take you home."

* * *

The demonic shadow cat had the vampire and mummy surrounded. They had started meowing. "What their weakness?" Ajax asked.

"Light, they are afraid of the light." Zahur said.

"Great!" Ajax said. "That is precisely what we do not have!"

"Do not talk loudly, you just makes them angry." said Zahur.

"I don't care." Ajax said he whispered. "We have to get out of here."

A shadow cat suddenly jumps to Ajax. He fell backwards. He felt the heavy weight on his chest. Ajax took his arm before his face and cat began to bite. Ajax felt the sharp teeth into his flesh. "Arrgh ... A little help here!" He cried.

Zahur but could not see him, it was too dark. The mummy felt a sharp pain down his leg. A shadow cat was chewing him. He tried to shake off the cat, but cats have jumped on his back and was he forced to sit on the ground. He still had the cylinder with the heart in his hands.

Suddenly the door flew open and a strong sphere of light lit up the entire room. The shadow cats began to scream and vanished. Zahur helped Ajax to his feet and they ran to the door. They saw Paige standing with a light orb in her hands. "What kept you?" asked. Ajax.

But before that Paige could answer, they heard a loud meow. "They are coming back." Paige said and the light orb disappeared. The group hurried to the hallway and closed the door. The shadow cats began to bang against the wall. They also heard scratching noises.

"That door will not last long." said Zahur." They would soon break out." Paige turned a hand to a large piece of stone and let it float towards the door.

"That should stop them for now." Paige said. "Hopefully."

Zahur and Ajax looked at the collapsed ceiling. "Your brother, is he dead?" Ajax asked.

"No, He escaped." Paige said. "I don't know where he is."

"Are you hurt?" Zahur asked.

"I fine. But do you find it? The heart?" Paige asked and Zahur showed her the cylinder.

"That's…..gross." she said.

"We know, let's go quickly to Jack." Ajax said. "And Paige, thank you for saving our butts."

Paige smiled. "You're welcome." And the group rushed towards the others. Hopefully they were still on time.


	27. The Attack part 1

A/n: Sorry for the delay, I had no inspiration. Thanks for reading this far!

Chapter 27: The Attack part 1

* * *

Jack, Anthony and Kyoshi were cautious on the first floor. Suddenly she heard the sound of heavy armor. It came closer and Jack got used to the others. "Stand still." he whispered quickly and pulled out a small brown bag.

With his hand, he reached into the bag and pulled out pink powder. He threw the powder on him and the others. "Stand still, do not make a sound." Jack whispered.

"What is this stuff?" Anthony whispered and looked at his shoulder, it was covered with pink powder.

But Jack said nothing and the group stands still. They saw a large group of guards came running in. They carried large shields and swords. Anthony was surprised that they just walked by.

When they were past the guards, Jack gestured that they should move on. "It is invisibility powder." said Jack. ""But it only works for a few seconds. Let's go quickly."

Anthony saw the door, which was decorated with horses. "There it is." he said. There were no guards at the door. This was too easy.

"We cannot just walk in." Kyoshi muttered. "We have to surprise her."

"How?" Anthony asked. He saw that in addition to the decorated door, another door. "I do not know what that leads to ... but ..."

Jack y opening cautiously the door. He looked surprised when he saw a stairway. It leads upstairs, but what will be there? "I think…." He muttered and looked at Kyoshi and Anthony. "This way up?"

"Are you sure?" asked Kyoshi. "The woman told us nothing about this."

"Do we have a choice?" Jack asked. "Maybe we can surprise her this way." And he walked up the stairs

"_For some reason, I have a bad feeling about this._" Anthony thought and he followed the skeleton and the werewolf. He felt the dagger in his belt and his heart beat loudly in his ears. "_I'm so not ready for this…How can I stab my best friend in his chest?_"

Anthony looked up, the stairs seemed endless. Once they were upstairs, they could hardly believe their eyes. They were on a long balcony that overlooked the throne room.

The throne room was long and spacious. The floor was of white marble, as are the great pillars which stood in a neat row. The room was lit by a huge chandelier, which was adorned with crystals and rubies. Anthony looked down. He saw dozens of mannequins. They all stood still and did not move. Anthony felt the fear again and felt his hands shaking.

He felt the hand of Jack in his head and was pushed down. "Stay low." He gave Anthony a smile. "Don't worry, it will be fine."

Suddenly she heard the screams of a young woman. The men looked carefully down and saw that the woman who had helped them, by two men of Sheriff Grimm was dragged inside.

"No, no, please!" the woman cried and the two men threw her to the ground. Jack saw that sheriff Grimm came at her.

"What's your name?" he asked the woman. "What is your duty?"

"My name….my name is Penelope…" the woman said and she sat on her knees. "I'm a kitchen maid and I make sure that her majesty gets her meals on time."

"Dammit…." Jack whispered. "This was not the plan."

"Can we do something?" Anthony asked.

Jack shook his head. "I'm sorry."

"Right." the sheriff said and turned around. Anthony saw a beautiful woman came walking. She wore her blond hair in a high ponytail and wore a strapless short dress to her knees. She was followed by a mannequin, who was wearing a long white robe up to his feet. Anthony looked at the mannequin with big eyes, it was Ian.

Grimm bowed to the woman. "The maid helped intruders to get into the castle." He said and he looked at the puppet mistress. "According to our sorcerer, he saw this woman in his visions… And they had something stolen from your personal treasure room... He could not stop them."

The puppet mistress looked at Grimm, her eyes were furious. "Bring me that stupid sorcerer and you…." She looked at Penelope. "You are unlucky I'm in a bad mood."

She gave Ian a nod and he walked up to Penelope. The woman stood up quickly and tried to flee. But she suddenly stopped and she could not move. Ian had his hands toward her. Thin wires came out of his fingertips and held the kitchen maid.

"No please….have mercy your majesty…" Penelope said with tears in her eyes. "Please…I have..."

"My love…." The puppet mistress and Ian tear Penelope apart. Her bowels were scattered on the ground. Anthony became nauseous and turned his head away from it.

"Good..." the puppet mistress said and walked over towards Ian and gave him a kiss on his cheek. "You do your job well, at least." She looked at Grimm. "Well? Go and get that sorcerer! Or do you want the same treatment?" Grimm nodded and hurried out of the throne room.

Kyoshi looked at Jack. "What do you want to do?" he asked.

"Let me think." Jack said. "Anthony must be close to Ian ..." He looked at Anthony. "Think you can?"

"Well..." Anthony said.

"Remember, this world depends on you success." Kyoshi said.

"Thanks for the reminder." Anthony said slightly irritated.

"Let's go." Jack said.

"What? Do you want to jump?" Anthony asked.

"Yes." Jack said. "Don't worry, Kyoshi will catch you." And the skeleton man jumped of the balcony.

"Come on, boy." Kyoshi said and jumped after Jack. Anthony closed his eyes and followed them.

* * *

Grimm ran down the hall. "That damned sorcerer, how hard is it to stop intruders." He threw open a door and walked into the room of Cillian in. The young sorceress was lying in bed. He had his left leg broken when the stones fell on him.

Luckily that was his only injury, and he was just in time disappear before his sister Paige found him. When he met Grimm, he told him all about the intruders.

Cillian looked at Grimm. "You must come immediately." he said.

"Why?" Cillian asked. "I told you everything."

"Yes, and I've told it to our queen." Grimm said bitterly. "And she would like to hear it from your mouth. She's not happy."

Cillian got out of bed and felt the pain through his leg. He was not healed enough, but he stood up and leaned on his right leg. He followed Grimm out of his room. Suddenly they saw Ajax, Zahur and Paige come upon them. The group stopped in terror with running. Ajax swore under his breath.

Grimm smiled. "Well, good evening, gentlemen and lady." he said and saw that Zahur had the cylinder with a heart in his hands. "Give that to me."

"No way, slime ball" Ajax said and pulled out a scimitar. Zahur looked at him in surprise. "Since when do you have a sword?"

"Since now." Ajax said and he ran to Grimm. Grimm grabbed his own sword and stopped the attack. Grimm hit with his sword, Ajax blocked the attack and jumped backwards. The sheriff run at him and hit with his sword. Ajax block all of his attacks.

Paige looked at Zahur. "Take that to Jack and the others. We will hold them off."

"I can't leave you guys here, What if there are more guards ..." Zahur said.

"I'm a witch...i can handle that." Paige said with a smile and Zahur nodded and run off.

"You are not going anywhere!" Cillian said and pointed his hands at Zahur. Out of his hands came a fire beam. But Paige quickly turned her hands Cillian. Her hands came a strong jet of water and extinguished the fire.

Zahur ran past Cillian and kept running. Cillian and Paige both fired a beam of fire. Paige felt equal how strong was her brother, even though he was injured.

Ajax was pushed to the ground and Grimm jumped on top of him and hit with his sword. Ajax could stop him. "You are nothing, vampire." muttered Grimm. "I've been training for years. And you? a couple of months? Amateur."

"Shut up...slimy..." Ajax said. "I will not die quickly." He pushed the sword of Grimm with all his strength away. Ajax hit with his sword in Grimm's shoulder. The sheriff was shocked by the attack and backed away.

The vampire ran towards him. Grimm tried to stop him, by striking with his sword. But Ajax dodged the attack and hit his fist in Grimm's face.

The sheriff steps backwards and put his hand on his wounded shoulder. "Not bad, not bad." He muttered. Grimm ran off to Ajax and hit with his sword. Ajax was too slow to dodge and got a gash in his stomach. It was bleeding profusely and the pain forced Ajax on his knees. He began to feel sick and fervently wished that the pain disappeared. Grimm stood with his sword rested at Ajax's shoulder.

"Any last words, before I cut you head off?" Grimm asked with a big smile. Suddenly they heard an explosion. Grimm looked over to see what was going on. The battle between Paige and Cillian had caused an explosion. The two crashed to the ground.

Ajax saw an opportunity and stuck Grimm with his sword in his chest. Grimm looked at him in horror. The vampire pushed him further into his body. Grimm was coughing blood and blood Ajax let the sword go. "Who's the amateur?" Early Ajax and Grimm fell backwards. He lay still and Ajax knew he was dead.

"Ajax, are you alright?"

Ajax looked up and saw Paige stumbled toward him. She was covered in burns and cuts. "I'm fine...you?" Ajax asked. "And your..."

"He is still alive." Paige said and knelt before Ajax. "But unconscious...oh my goodness...you are hurt..." The witch pointed at Ajax's wound. She put her hands on Ajax's belly and her hands began to glow light. The vampire felt the pain get worse, as if it was on fire. But he made no sound, and let Paige take its course. Whitin a few seconds, she had healed the wound.

"Thank you." Ajax said and they stood up. "Hopefully we are still on time for the other party."

"Let's go then." Paige said and they ran away.


	28. The attack part 2

Chapter 28 : The attack part 2

* * *

"We apologize that we disrupt your day even more." Jack muttered. Anthony slowly opened his eyes. He found himself in the arms of Kyoshi.

"But your days as queen are over!" Jack cried.

Anthony looked up. The puppet mistress stood before a army of her mannequins. She looked with an angry face, but she smiled. Anthony standing beside her saw Ian. He stood still, like the others puppets.

Anthony jumped out Kyoshi's arms. "Ian!" But he didn't respond.

The puppet mistress started to laugh. "He can't hear you. He only listen to me boy. But you look hot, I think you make a perfect piece to my collection." she said and gave Anthony a smile.

It makes him uncomfortable. But he had to admit, the puppet mistress looked very beautiful. Anthony shook his head. The only woman he loved and gave his heart was Kalel and Kalel alone.

She looked at Jack. "Do you really think you can beat me now? I have seen that stupid army of yours. You are no match for me, attack!"

And the puppets attacked. Kyoshi Anthony pushed away and fell with Jack the dolls. Anthony ran to a pillar and hid behind it. He turned his head and saw Jack fought with his magic. He used fire and some mannequins turned into ashes.

Kyoshi hit a mannequin on the ground and bit him on the neck. The head of the mannequin came off the body and rolled away. But there were too many.

Anthony's body began to shake. He wanted to fight, he wanted to help them. But he could not move his body. "Dammit..." He whispered. Suddenly a mannequin jumped in front of him. Anthony stared at his best friend.

Ian started waving his arms. Anthony ducked and the pillar created large scratches. Anthony ran away from him. He heard that Ian came after him. Something grabbed Anthony at his ankles and he fell to the ground.

Anthony turned quickly on his back and saw that his ankles were tied with thread. He tried to break away, but Ian jumped up and grabbed him by the throat. Anthony gasped for air and looked into his friend's white eyes.

Suddenly the door flew open and Zahur runs towards Anthony and hit Ian off him. Ian rolled on the ground and Anthony was helped up by Zahur. "Good...timing." Anthony said. "Please tell me you got his heart."

"I have." Zahur said and saw that Ian had risen. Ian spread his fingers out of his fingers came transparent thread out. He was ready to attack. Zahur pushed Anthony towards him. "Do your thing."

Another mannequin attacked Zahur. The mummy hit him with his fist. "Hurry up!" he shouted to Anthony and began to fight against the mannequins.

Anthony looked at Ian. "Hey...Ian...remember me...it is you best friend." He said. "Anthony? We know each other for a very long time?"

Ian didn't respond, but came slowly at Anthony.

"Look, I'm so sorry, that I dragged you to this..." Anthony said and walked slowly backwards. "It was my fault, you were right that everything could go wrong. And if I did not read that tweet or...if I had not gone through that gate... then never would have happened. "

Ian still walked towards him.

"Please...I know you can hear me." Anthony said and grabbed the dagger. "I don't want to do this." Anthony came against the wall and Ian came closer. "IAN HECOX LISTEN TO ME!"

Suddenly Ian stopped walking and looked at Anthony with big eyes. Anthony looked surprised, his friend was frozen. Did he actually heard him? Anthony walked slowly up to him. He heard Ian breathing heavily and was ignoring Anthony.

Anthony wanted to do a hand on Ian's shoulder, but the door flew open again, and Paige and Ajax ran inside. "Looks like we are on time." Paige said and out her hands came strong beam of fire.

Jack hit a mannequin on the floor and looked up as Paige used her magic fire to melt most of the mannequins. "Nice work Paige!" He cried and runs towards the puppet mistress.

"Its over." He said. "Give up, Kalista."

She looked at him in anger. "How dare you to call my name, I'm your ruler, I'm your queen!"

"Your are not my queen." Jack said. "You need to stop doing this...surrender."

Kalista grinds its teeth and looked over to Ian and Anthony. "What are you doing my love? Kill him!"

Ian woke up and waved his arm. Anthony felt the wire going down his face. It's was sharp and he felt the blood flowing. Ian waved once with his arm and Anthony ducked.

"Anthony, do it now!" Jack cried and a mannequin attacked him.

Anthony turned and crawled back. Ian glared at him and came towards him. The sound began to slow around him and the world seemed to slow down. Anthony watched Paige fell to the ground, a mannequin wanted to attack her but was stopped by Zahur. Kyoshi and Ajax were seriously injured, but they fought on.

Anthony could only hear his heart pounding in his throat and looked at his best friend. Anthony held the dagger tighter. He had to do it, it's now or never. He wanted to see his friend smile again and make stupid jokes with him. But also wanted to bring him back home, so he's back with his family and friends.

Anthony jumped up and pushed Ian to the floor. He sat on top of him and stuck the dagger in his chest. From Ian's chest came a thick white liquid out. It was wax and Anthony pulled out the dagger and stabbed him repeatedly.

Until the white wax, changes into red blood. Anthony stopped and held the dagger with a trembling hand. Ian started to cough up blood and one of his turned normal. His blue eye stared at Anthony.

"Ant...hony..." Ian said and blood came out of his mouth . "Is...th..at...you?"

Anthony dropped his dagger and looked with him with terror. "I'm so so sorry...I have do it."

Ian tried to smile and wanted to say something. But he began to gasp for breath and his head fell to the side. Anthony fought against his tears and shut Ian's eyes. He knew it would be fine with him. Once he has his heart back again.

Anthony was startled by a scream that went through to the marrow. He turned his head and saw the puppet mistress stand with startled eyes. She stood frozen and did not move. Jack appeared behind her with a sword and stabbed her through her body. she fell to the ground. She lay still and her puppets fell to the ground. They broke into a thousand pieces.


	29. Save at home

Chapter 29: Save at home

* * *

"Anthony!" Paige cried and runs towards him. "Are you alright?"

Anthony looked at her. "I think so." he muttered.

"You are hurt." Paige said and she touched Anthony's cheek with her hand. He felt a warm and sharp pain. "So that's better." Paige said and wound on Anthony's cheek disappeared.

Paige looked at the lifeless body of Ian. "You did it, you save us all." She said and lay a hand on Anthony's shoulder. "Don't worry, my grandma can fix him."

Anthony tried to smile but said nothing. He felt the adrenaline still flowing through his body. But at the same time he felt relieved. This whole charade was finally over.

Jack and the others walked towards them. "Phew...that was a good work out." Ajax said.

Kyoshi sighed. "Speak for yourself."

Zahur showed Ian's heart to Anthony. "Shall we go?" he asked. Anthony looked up and nodded. At that moment, heard a loud bang.

"It is the army." Jack said. "They take the castle. Let's go quickly."

Kyoshi lifted Ian's body and they walked away, without looking at the lifeless body of the puppet mistress. The army invaded the castle and defeated every guard they encountered. Without the guidance of their queen and sheriff Grimm, it was very easy. Every dead body they found was cleaned up found the young Cillian. He was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and torture. He was put in prison, until his sentencing.

* * *

The group walked towards the house of lady Artemisia. She was already outside waiting for them. Paige ran to her grandmother and gave her a hug.

"My dear child, do you know how worried I was?" Artemisia asked.

"I'm so sorry, grandma." Paige said. "It was not the intention ..."

They let go of each other. "We will talk about it later." Artemisia said with a smile. She looked at the group. "Follow me, please."

The group followed her to the back of her house. From there they walked on the dark lawn. Lady Artemisia sat down and put her hands on the ground. There appeared a light blue circle, with a pentagram in the middle.

"Put him down here." Artemisia said to Kyoshi. The werewolf nodded and put Ian gently down in the circle. "Do you have the heart?"

Zahur gave the old lady the cylinder with the heart. The group was sitting around the circle and Artemisia took the heart out of the cylinder. Her hands began to glow blue and the heart began to float in her hands.

The heart floated to Ian's body and disappeared into his chest. Artemisia put her finger on the stab wound of Ian. The wound was growing close and disappeared.

Anthony's heart began to pound, nothing happened. He began to panic. Had he killed his best friend? "Nothing happens, he does not wake up." Anthony said. "Did we something wrong?

"Calm down, boy." Artemisia said. "Give your friend time."

Ian suddenly began coughing and gasping for breath. Anthony wanted to help him to his feet, but was stopped by Jack. "Don't touch him." he said.

The coughing was to get less and after a few seconds, Ian began to breath normally and stay unconscious. Artemisia injected with syringe in Ian's arm, it was the same antidote which she had given to Anthony.

She looked at Anthony. "He will not remember what happened last year." she said.

"I'll think of something, when he wakes up." Anthony said. "Thank you."

"We are actually the ones you should thank you." Artemisia said with a smile.

"Thanks to you, we are free from the puppet mistress." Paige said.

"We are very grateful to you." Jack said. "I'll shall help you, to get you both home."

"Paige." Artemisia said. "If you please."

Paige nodded and stood up. She founded her hands to anything and there appeared a large white gate. Anthony and Jack helped Ian to his feet and support him by to do his arms on the shoulders of Anthony and Jack.

The friends of Jack said him goodbye. "You are always welcome." Paige said.

"Thanks Paige." Anthony said and walked with Jack through the gate. It was a sweet gesture of the young witch, but Anthony was not going to return. When she got out of the gate, Anthony felt the cold October wind on his face. He looked up and he saw the house Smosh. Anthony managed a sigh of relief, he was afraid that he had to walk the entire stretch of the woods. The portal disappeared.

They walked inside. Ian's foot got stuck on the door threshold, he fell out Anthony's and Jack's hands. He came with his forehead on the ground. "Whoops, i'm sorry." Jack said.

Anthony hit the light. "Do not worry, he will not noticed it. I hope." They lifted Ian and brought him to his bedroom and put him to bed. "What are you going to now?" Anthony asked. "Back in your world?"

"We're going to rebuild everything and we probably find a new ruler." Jack said and they walked out the room. "Surely someone who can lead our world in the right direction. And i can finally be with my wife and son."

They walked to the front door. Jack turned and looked at Anthony. "I can not thank you enough times, what you've done for me and my world." Anthony nodded. "Its alright." he said. "What are friends for?"

Jack gave him a smile. "I will erase all memory of people who encountered you the past year. "Jack said. "If they see Ian alive, they will ask questions."

"Can you do that?" Anthony asked.

"Of course i can do that." Jack said with a big smile and walked out the door. "I can use magic!"

"Thanks Jack." Anthony said and Jack skellington disappeared.

* * *

The next morning, Ian woke up. He sat up slowly. It took a while before he realized that he was in the house Smosh. He stepped slowly out of bed and felt his head pounding. Ian looked at the window, the sun was already up. Ian looked at himself, he wore a long white robe. On his chest was a large red stain. What was that? Ian walked towards the living room and saw Anthony sprawled on the couch.

Anthony was playing with his green Game boy. Ian recognized the tune, Anthony was playing Pokemon. "Oh come on!" he said. "Stupid Pikachu! I almost got him ... argh ..."

"Eh...good morning?" Ian said.

Anthony looked up and sit up straight. "Ian?...Good afternoon, it is 1 o'clock."

"I slept so long?" Ian asked and looked at the clock.

Anthony did his game boy off and stood up. "How are you?" he asked carefully.

"It's ... I just have a bad headache." said Ian. "And ... I can not remember what we did yesterday. Did we we done anything?"

"Eh ...we.." Anthony struggled for words. "We were yesterday invited to a costume Halloween party. You were dressed as Julius Cesar. You drink to much and I had to carry you all the way back home."

"Really?" Ian asked and felt his forehead, he felt a small bump.

Anthony nodded. "And that bump...You walked against a streetlight."

"Ah ... that explains it." Ian said and pointed at the large red stain."And this is..."

"Red wine." Anthony said quickly. "A girl accidentally threw it over you..."

Ian nodded. "I think I'll take a shower. I feel that I have not showered for a year." And he walked towards the bathroom. Anthony felt relieved. His best friend was back to normal. Hopefully he stays that way. They were save.

* * *

The end.

No, I'm kidding :P The story is far from over. But my school is about to start, so it will take a bit longer before I upload a new chapter. Thank you so much for reading so far. Don't forget to read also my other story about Smosh.


	30. Nightmares

Chapter 30: Nightmares

* * *

Ian ran through the woods, he jumped over rocks and fallen tree trunks. It was dark and the full moon and its stars shone up over the trees. He panting and saw his own breath.

"_Where are you?_" a soft woman's voice whispered. "_Don't leave me alone, my love._"

Ian jumped over a small stream. But his foot caught it on a stone. He fell to the ground and felt that his shoes and socks were wet. The water felt ice cold and Ian scrambled to his feet. He looked around and began to wonder where he was going.

"_Stay with me...please..._" the woman's voice whispered. "_Please...I love you...you love me too right?_"

Ian started running again. The forest seemed to go on forever. Ian felt his legs were going tired to and they started to burn. Ian suddenly felt something grab him by his feet. Ian fell with his face to the ground.

He tried to get up, but something was holding him down. The thing turned Ian around so he was lying on his back. The thing grabbed his wrists and pressed them against the ground. Ian could not move and looked at the thing. He could hear his heart beating in his ears.

He recognized the thing. "You ... leave me alone!" Ian shouted. "Just...go away!"

The thing had the face of a woman and moved slowly to Ian's face. "_I'll never leave you alone._" she said. "_Never._" And she kissed Ian on his mouth. He felt that he could not breathe.

* * *

Ian woke up and went straight up in his bed. He began to pant and his hands were trembling and and ached. He started swearing. This was his hundredth nightmare in four months. They seemed to be getting worse.

Ian looked at his bedside and saw a small jar of sleeping pills. Ian sighed. Suddenly there was a knock on his bedroom door, Ian was startled.

"Ian? Are you awake?" Anthony asked.

"Eh...yeah...i'am." Ian said. "I'am."

"Then hurry up! The crew will arrive any moment now." Anthony said.

Ian looked at his alarm clock, it was eight o'clock in the morning and Ian stepped quickly out of bed.

The crew of Smosh were busy setting everything up. Some put the cameras ready and the lighting. Anthony had a piece of paper in his hands, with his text. Today they would shoot a spoof trailer of the new star wars movie.

"Alright...where is my coffee?" someone asked. "Come guys...we are almost done..."

Anthony would played the old Han Solo and began to read his texts. Simultaneously, he walked over to Ian, who was sitting on a bar stool, next towards the dinning table. Kitty, from the makeup was doing his hair. Ian would play the old Luke Skywalker.

"Ah, hell." Kitty muttered. "I forgot the hair spray, don't not move, I'll be back." And she walked quickly out the door.

Anthony looked at Ian. He looked very pale and he tried to stay awake with difficulty. Ian picked up a red mug with black coffee and drank it in one go. "Dude...are you alright?" Anthony asked.

"I'm fine." Ian muttered and put the mug back on the table. "Why do you ask?"

"You look pale, did you have enough sleep?" Anthony asked and lay down his paper on the table. "Or did you have a nightmare...again?"

Ian tried to smile and slowly stood up. "Dude, i'm fine." he said and he began to blurred vision and his eyes began to close. "Really...I'am...fine..."

"Ian?" Anthony asked and his best friend fell through his legs. Anthony could catch him just in time before he hit the ground. "Guys... guys I need help!"

Ryan Todd ran to him. "Anthony, what's happening?"

"Just help me with him." Anthony said and together they lay Ian down at the sofa.

"Someone call the doctor!" Ryan cried. "Quickly!"

* * *

A dark-skinned female doctor with long curly black hair, pulled a thermometer out of Ian's mouth. "Hmm...he does not have a fever." she said and touched Ian's forehead. "Although he does feel warm. His vital signs are good, it looks like your friend literally fell asleep, if he had not slept in days."

She looked at Anthony. "When did this all happen?"

"About four months ago." Anthony said. "He told me that he was suffering from nightmares. They kept him awake and he therefore has not slept in days. He tried sleeping pills, but ..."

The doctor nodded. "I see. Did he tell you where those nightmares were about?"

Anthony shook his head. The doctor stood up. "I will recommend that he should seek a psychiatric. Usually this kind of thing is a little deeper."

Out of her jacket she took a card and gave it to Anthony. "He is the best of the best, maybe he can help your friend."

Anthony looked at the card. "Dr. Hans Gehäuse?"

"He is a German." the doctor said with a smile.

Anthony looked at her. "Thank you for your help." The doctor nodded and walked out of the door. Anthony turned to the crew. "Guys, i'm sorry."

Ryan placed a hand on Anthony's shoulder. "It's okay, just make sure Ian gets enough sleep."

"Thanks." Anthony said. He helped the crew to clean up and led him to the door."Keep us informed, Anthony." Ryan said and walked out the door. "I am worried,about him."

"I will, thanks again." Anthony said and he closed the door. He sighed. Suddenly he heard something, it sounded like someone crying for help. Anthony ran to the living room.

He saw Ian was screaming and began to hit the air. "No, no! please go away! Argh!" he cried. "Please, don't hurt me!"

Anthony rushed up to him and grabbed Ian by the shoulders. "Ian, wake up!" he cried. "Come on, man...wake up!" He shook Ian roughly together and his eyes flew open.

"Ian, are you alright?" Anthony asked.

"Argh...my hands..." Ian said and looked at his hands. 'They are hurting...damn it." He started to looked around wildly. "Where is everybody?"

"The shoot is canceled, you literally fell asleep. We almost freaked out." Anthony said and looked Ian straight into his eyes. "I want to know what's going on. It does not go well with you and you hardly sleep."

Ian sighed.

"I know you have nightmares, where are they about?" Anthony said.

"Okay...okay." Ian said and sat up straight. "This will sound crazy."

Anthony took a wooden chair and sat down before Ian. "Try me."

"Since Halloween last year, I have nightmares." Ian said. "It's always about living puppets."

Anthony stiffened.

"I ... I always run through a forest. And then they come after me. Sometimes there is only one, but sometimes in a big group." Ian said. "The group ... always torn me to pieces. It always feels so ... real. And sometimes I'm leading the group and thorn someone else apart."

Anthony swallowed and opened his mouth. "And the puppet who is always alone?"

"She is scary, dude." Ian said. "She chase me and tells me that she love me and that I should not leave her alone. She always kissed me when she got me. I can not breathe when she does that."

"Oh my..." Anthony said.

"They keep me awake, i'm so afraid to fell asleep. And every time I wake up, hands are hurt. " Ian said and buried his face in his hands. "I was hoping that it would pass."

They were silent. Anthony thought of their adventure in Halloween Town. Ian was turned into a puppet. Because he and a group had saved him, Ian lost a part of his memory. But had it something to do with the nightmares of Ian? It was four months ago. Anthony would not believe it.

"I do not understand why I have this." Ian muttered.

Anthony stood up. "Look man you need to relax. Everything is going to be fine." he said.

"Are you sure?" Ian asked.

"Yeah, just try to positive." Anthony said and tried toe smile. "I will go to the store for a moment. I will buy some drinks and snacks, maybe it will cheer you up. Can I get you something special?"

"Maybe some aspirins?" Ian asked. "My head is started to blow up."

"Sure, see you in a minute." Anthony said and walked out of the door.

Ian went to lie back on the couch. He stared at the white ceiling. He felt that his hands were still burning, but he tried to ignore it. His eyes limbs began to be heavy. Ian tried to resist, but his eyes closed.

"_Hello, my love_." said a voice in the darkness. "_Did you miss me? Please tell me you do_." And Ian's eyes flew open.


End file.
